Curiosity Caught the Dog
by Cloud Above the Moon
Summary: An earthquake has destroyed Kagome's home, taking the lives of her grandfather and mother. When she can't find Souta, she decides to live in the Feudal Era, where she garners Sesshoumaru's curiosity, and the attention of an ancient, dangerous foe.
1. Chapter 1

A/N – Alright, so this is my new Sesshoumaru and Kagome story. :D I came up with the idea in the shower this morning. XD Reviews are most welcome, and so is constructive criticism. I hope that no one else has thought of this before, haha. If you're more comfortable with Dokuga, I'm going to upload it there as well; I have the same user name. I know that the Japanese say the last name first, but the news report here was aired in America. XD This may start out a little off, but I'm hoping you'll stick with it. Anyway, let's get started! :D I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, or R14Fox News, if it happens to miraculously exist. XD **NOTICE. THIS PART TAKES PLACE THREE WEEKS BEFORE CHAPTER TWO. **

Chapter One – Alone.

_...Three Weeks Earlier._

A young woman sat in front of her television, the lights casting strange shadows in the small apartment. As it came back from commercials, she refocused on the man who was reporting. "...And now we go to Hideyuki Masamoto, who is live in Tokyo, Japan, where a magnitude five point two earth quake has destroyed an ancient shrine. Hideyuki?"

"Thank you, Chuck." The woman, with practiced ease, slid her face into the artificial mask of grief. "As you can see around me, not many of the buildings were damaged, apart from the Higurashi Shrine and the few surrounding residences. The Shrine was at least three hundred years old, and was a monument to the people that live here. Two people were reported dead." Her accent was barely noticeable. The young woman watching gasped, looking at the wreckage that was once a beautiful shrine. A helicopter's view showed that the wood had collapsed on a well, and the house nearby had been leveled with the ground. "Jurou Higurashi, the keeper of the shrine, and his daughter, Satomi Higurashi. Her daughter and son, Kagome Higurashi and Souta Higurashi, are missing. Local authorities are now waiting for other family members to come forth, to claim the property, and if no family members are found, the Shrine will become government property. For now, most of the locals are hoping that the two are found safe."

The camera switched to an elderly Japanese woman, who looked rather worried and sad. A translator was voiced over the woman's Japanese. "I just hope that those two are found alive. The Higurashi Shrine is a treasure, and always will be within the hearts of our people."

"Thank you. This is Hideyuki Masamoto, R14, Fox News." The young woman, saddened by the news broadcast, flipped the television off. It could be so depressing at times, she wondered why she even watched it. Then she thought of the girl that was missing...Kagome, was it? And pondered what it would be like to be in her shoes, to lose her family and have the world think you were missing. Or dead, even. She shuddered. She'd probably be sorely tempted to run away.

0-0-0-0-0 Three Weeks Later.

Contemplating on challenging his shameful half brother, Sesshoumaru paused near the Bone Eater's Well. The half demon had always been a nuisance to him, swinging Tetsusaiga around like it was a useless stick. Sesshoumaru thought that if would be put to much better use in his hands, but his father had seen fit otherwise; the sword burned him every time he wielded it, just to prove that fact. So... Why attack Inuyasha then? It was a good question, but had an even better answer. _To show Inuyasha that no matter what sword he swings around, he could never best me, The Great Sesshoumaru. _The thought was natural to him. He knew that he, himself, was strong, maybe stronger, than his father, and Inuyasha was no where close to his level. In fact, the girl that traveled with him posed more of a threat than Inuyasha did. Her spiritual powers were untapped, and unpredictable as the ocean itself.

Just then, there was a burst of energy from the Bone Eater's Well, and a light shone out of it's depths. Staying within the shadows of the trees, Sesshoumaru gazed steadily at the well, intrigued. _Speak of the devil... _He thought with a slight flash of amusement as the scent of sweet rain and slightly Inuyasha reached him. It didn't reach his eyes, but made him back into the trees further, where she would not be able to see him. As she climbed out of the well, Sesshoumaru noticed that he had not sensed her before. He would have immediately smelled her if she was in the area, even a few miles away. Or sense her aura, which had materialized in the bottom of the well.

Two bags were flung out of the well, and Sesshoumaru tensed, although somewhat needlessly. She crawled out a few moments later, huffing loudly in the half light of dusk. Once she got out, she sat on the ledge of the well. Sesshoumaru noted she smelled also of stone, wood, and tears. Her eyes glistened as she sat, her eyes closed, and her hand fingering a necklace at her throat. Looking closely, he saw that the necklace was a simple stone held by wire. Humans were such odd, sentimental creatures. And yet, something about her was different than it usually was. She glanced up at the darkening sky. There was a fire in her eyes that was dulled to a spark, her scent telling of barely concealed grief. Just when Sesshoumaru thought she would break out in tears, she inhaled, seeming to swallow her fears and doubts for the time being, and squared her shoulders. With something akin to surprise, he watched as she took a note out of her pocket, and grabbed an odd contraption out of one of the bags. Narrowing her eyes in what looked like frustration, she unfolded the paper and placed it on the edge of the well. The little thing she had in her hand made a little noise as she pulled something from it, then used it to stick the piece of paper to the well. A pang of sadness flashed across her features, but she refused to let it overwhelm her, and inhaled again, her shoulders squared. _She is an odd human, of that there is no doubt. _Sesshoumaru thought to himself. Any other human would have given in to the grief that was clawing at her.

Sesshoumaru watched her as she got up. Heaving a large sigh, she began hauling the bags away, toward the small village nearby. They were far too heavy for her, but she continued anyway, pausing every few minutes to take a breath. Despite the fact that she probably could have waited for Inuyasha to come help her, she did this entirely by herself. "Earthquakes... Damn. Souta had better be alright." Sesshoumaru strained to hear her words from the forest, far enough away that she wouldn't notice him. _Earthquakes? I have felt nothing of the sort in the past fifty years. Yet she is most certainly mortal. _He took a cautionary sniff of the air, just to assure himself of her mortality. She didn't smell like other humans. Not like sweat and grime. _And she does not look fifty years old. _Blinking, he kept following, confusion gnawing at his brain like a wolf on a bone.

It was night by the time she reached the edge of the village, where an older priestess resided, Sesshoumaru remembered. Pulling her bags up to the side of the hut, she collapsed on the ground next to them, breathing heavily. She made a frustrated sound. Sesshoumaru found that watching her mutter to herself was a slightly amusing, but frankly, he was curious about her. If only a little bit. Leaping up into a tree, he crouched on a branch. His eyes were bright enough that if she decided to stare at the edge of the forest for a while, she would notice him. But he was counting on her not to. After all, she was human, and quite oblivious to her surroundings. Huffing loudly, she stood up abruptly, and began rifling through one of the bags until she pulled a strange looking blanket out. She laid it on the floor before going back to the back. _Is she planning to sleep outside on the ground by herself? _Sesshoumaru thought. Either she was incredibly stupid, or exceedingly arrogant. Or just... Oblivious? He chose the latter. When she pulled strange clothes out of the bag, it took him a moment to understand what she was doing. Facing the forest, she lifted the shirt off her head. Sesshoumaru turned, facing the opposite direction. He'd only caught a flash of pale skin, but he was not dishonorable. Nor would he lower himself to watching a human, however unaware, undress. Walking in the opposite direction, he wondered what about her had caught his attention in the first place. She was unbearably human, she was a priestess, not to mention the fact that she traveled with his half brother, of all people. And yet, Sesshoumaru admitted, in the deep recesses of his mind, she was not like other humans. What made a human want to take a demon fox into her care? Or trust Inuyasha as she did? And why did she mutter about earthquakes that hadn't happened?

Shaking his head, as if he could rid the thoughts, he frowned. "Ridiculous."

0-0-0-0-0

On the outskirts of Edo, Kagome yawned. "I guess... I'll always be alone, huh? Even Shippo's gonna grow up sometime." Staring at the stars, caught up in the lonely sky, she sighed. "Goodnight Souta. Gramps. Mom."

End of Chapter One – Alone.

A/N – I hope you all enjoy the first chapter of this story. :] reviews and favorites are much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N – First! Thanks for the reviews and the favorites! :D I really appreciate it. I luffluffluffluff you guys. 3 Here we are, Chapter 2. Hopefully this will sate some curiosity. Be warned, however, this is a sad beginning. This part below takes place **The same day as the news broadcast. **I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters, just the story. :D. minimal Sesshoumaru in this one D:

Chapter Two - Point of View.

The familiar swirl of magic always made her stomach flutter, as if she were flying. Kagome smiled as she was pulled through the well, from the Feudal Era to the present. She'd gone back to retrieve some supplies, and study for a test she probably wouldn't pass very well, but as long as she passed her senior year, she was content. Inuyasha was always complaining about it, but she really couldn't see why he was upset. He went to visit Kikyo anytime she was gone anyway. Sighing heavily, she pushed the thought away for now. She knew she had to break away from him eventually, and she was trying very hard at the moment. Kikyo helped with that, of course.

Feeling the magic of the well stop, she glanced up to come nose to nose with a timber. Startled, she looked around the well, only to find a sliver of light coming through gaps in the fallen logs. _Light? There shouldn't be any light coming through the roof._ "Souta?" She called upward, listening closely. All she heard was the whine of approaching sirens. _What's happened? _Kagome thought, confused.

She pulled her way up past some of the timbers, then stopped when she heard a few men speaking loudly, a few feet away from the shrine. "How many people lived here?" One man asked.

"Four, I think." The other said.

"But I only found two of them, an old man and a woman." The first muttered, sounding a little confused.

A log was shifted above her head as she listened quietly. "Maybe they were at school or something. I heard that the other two were still going to school."

"Someone needs to call them, then." It was the man's last words that intensely worried Kagome.

She decided to call out to them. "Hello? Is anyone up there?"

"Who's down there? Are you alright?" One of the men asked, starting to move the logs out of the way in a rush.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi, I live here." Kagome called loudly, listening to the men move and shift what sounded like rocks and more rubble.

"Hang on, we'll get you out of there. Are you hurt?" More light was filtering through the darkness that surrounded them.

"No, I think I'm okay. What happened to my family? Where are they?" Kagome asked, her voice a little shrill with her concern.

Silence, but the men continued to work until they had the last log out of the way. "Here, give me your hand."

He reached down, and she took his hand. He was covered in dust and sweat. As he pulled her up, she kept asking. "Do you know what happened to them? Please, I'm begging you, tell me!" Kagome's eyes were misting, and she was scared. "Please. I have to know."

The man's eyes softened in... sympathy? Pity? And he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid that when the house collapsed on top of them in the earthquake...they were killed. I'm so sorry." His eyes dropped, and he backed up from her.

Kagome stopped. Just... stopped. "_Killed?" _Tears spilled over and fell down her cheeks. "_No!" _Her voice became pained sobs as she fell to her knees. "They can't be. They just can't." Kagome said brokenly. It seemed then that the whole world was muted. Background noise. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she quieted her sobs, clutching her hands to her chest, and the gaping hole that seemed to be in it's place. Gramps. Mom. Gone. Souta was missing. She remembered the last time she saw Gramps. He'd told her to be careful, gave Inuyasha one of those distrustful glares. Her mom. She'd given her a hug and waved her off, telling her to be safe. _"I love you, Kagome." _Her mother's voice echoed in her head, and a knife stabbed her in the chest. The memories hurt even to think about them.

Barely aware, she noticed that one of her friends was kneeling at her side, with an arm around her shoulders. "Kagome... Kagome, calm down, you'll be okay." Eri's words were empty condolences, promises she couldn't keep. "Kagome, come with me. You'll stay at my house for now, okay? Come with me." Eri soothed, her hand rubbing circles into her back.

"Eri?" Kagome asked through a growing fog that was surrounding her. Her voice sounded odd and distanced, as though she were speaking through water. Eri said something that Kagome missed, and then the world fell away in a dizzying rush of blacks, reds, and blues.

"Someone, help me! She's unconscious!" Eri yelled. Kagome could barely hear her, could barely hear anyone. Grief coursed through her half conscious mind, sending her mind spinning.

The last thing she remembered was someone carrying her to a car, where she caught flashes of crumpled wood and stone; and then blackness. Empty, void, and alone. There was nothing she wanted more than for everything to go back to normal. And then sleep. Lots of sleep. The dreams she had were painful ones, flashbacks of her family. A flashback of her father, whom she'd lost twelve years ago in a fire that had consumed the building he worked in, and a few others. He was a good man. He'd always been able to make her smile. And it was his face that appeared in her dreams. _Kagome. Do not worry. They are safe with me now. I will take care of them. _He murmured softly, showing an image of her mother and gramps sleeping peacefully. The image faded away, leaving her again in black emptiness. _Be strong, Kagome. Always be strong. _Her father's voice echoed.

Kagome choked, startling awake. Her breath was fast, her eyes flashing around the room to find something she recognized. Nothing. It was all strange. _Where am I? _She thought, leaping up from the bed she seemed to have been put in. A wave of dizziness passed over her, and she had to lean forward, holding her head in her hands. The reality of the situation crashed into her, sending another crippling wave of dizziness her way. She staggered, feeling the grief of losing her loved ones crash onto her like boulders. "Mom... Gramps..."

Walking unsteadily, she made her way to the doorway, where soft light was coming through the slightly open door. She strained to hear the people talking down the hall. "...Poor girl. She can stay as long as she likes, as far as I'm concerned. Her house was destroyed." A woman's voice said, Kagome recognized it as Eri's mother.

"Well, knowing Kagome... She probably won't stay very long." Eri's voice floated down the hall, carrying sympathy with it.

Kagome winced, leaning against the door frame. Glancing around blearily, she looked at a clock. Five in the morning. Light was beginning to come through the pale blue curtains over the window. _How long was I out? Goodness... I hope they found Souta. _She thought, a desperate hope welling up inside her. If Souta was found... then bearing this pain would be a lot easier. "Excuse me? Eri?" Kagome asked weakly.

Footsteps came down the hallway, and soon Eri's face was staring straight back at hers. Kagome took a moment to gauge the emotions in her eyes. Sympathy, pity, worry, sadness. "Kagome! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

"Not great." As she spoke, Kagome was forming a plan of sorts. To honor her family. And then... Flashes of the well came back to her, the feel of the magic wrapping around her. And suddenly, all she wanted to do was run back to the well and never come back.

Eri was speaking. "...in the kitchen. We're having breakfast. Would you like some?"

Pausing, Kagome realized she was hungry. Pictures on the walls of Eri, growing up through the years, seemed painfully mundane compared to the Feudal Era. "Yes, please. How long was I asleep?"

Eri's dark eyes gazed at her, worried. "Not long, the earthquake was yesterday afternoon."

_Earthquake... That seems so strange that I wasn't there to feel it. _Kagome thought, pain lancing up through her chest. _I should have been there. _"Oh." Was all she could say.

The kitchen was bright compared to the half light hallway, it seemed too bright almost. "Good morning, Kagome." Eri's mother said softly from standing over the oven, her eyes alight with compassion. "I hope you're comfortable here. And our house is your house for as long as you want it to be." She said, placing her hands on Kagome's shoulders.

Kagome smiled weakly, true gratitude bubbling up in her. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Saito. I am in your debt."

"No, don't think anything of it." She smiled, and gave Kagome a hug, although somewhat carefully, as if she felt she'd break her.

"Do you know if anyone found Souta?" Kagome asked, hope flaring into her eyes.

Eri sighed. "Not that I know of, Kagome. But they didn't find his... body with the house, so he must be somewhere." She said the words awkwardly, not finding any easier way around it. "I'm sorry."  
Kagome's hope dropped a little, but at least he was alive somewhere. That was what mattered. And as long as there was hope, there was no real reason for her to give up. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Hope was good. It gave her strength, enough to keep her going. Opening her eyes, she smiled slightly. "Thank you."

Eri looked slightly confused, but if she was, she held her tongue about it. "There have been people calling you, Kagome. They want to talk with you about the property, the things left behind, and funerals."

The word funeral stung, but Kagome wouldn't allow it to take over. "I understand. Would it be alright if I used your phone later?"

"Of course, don't worry about it!" Mrs. Saito smiled warmly, handing Eri and Kagome plates of food.

After a short breakfast, Kagome took a shower. The hot water let her mind wander. _If there's enough money left by Gramps and Mom, I'll use it for their funerals. This is a long shot, but if there's any left after that, I'll use it to rebuild the Shrine. High school is almost over, ends by next Friday. So finals, and then graduation. I don't think I'll bother with going to graduation. _It seemed pointless, and she didn't want to stay there anyway. Besides, on the other side of the well, there were people that needed her. Shippo, Sango, Miroku. They were all worth abandoning this now-lonely life she led. A lot of the time, before the earthquake, she found herself wondering what she would do. Go to live in Feudal Japan, or live in the present time. Now that there wasn't much to keep her here, the Feudal Era, however dangerous, seemed a much more pleasing choice. Despite Inuyasha, and his affairs with Kikyo. When Kikyo's name didn't upset her like it usually did, she blinked. _If Inuyasha's happier with Kikyo, then I won't begrudge him for that. Everyone deserves happiness. No one should have that choice taken away from them. It still hurts to let him go, but it's for the best. _Surprised at her thoughts, she smiled. Life was moving on. There was no reason to be grieving, they were happy where they were, and, Kagome realized, they would want her to keep going. Honor them first, and then, her life was _hers. _

Somewhat satisfied, she knew she would miss them terribly. She already did. The truth was there, and she wasn't going to deny it.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Over the next week, she worked furiously on her homework, studying. Eri and her mother were slightly confused with her behavior, but at least she wasn't trying to throw herself out of a window. Turns out, Gramps left a lot of money, but Kagome only touched it for the funerals. They were beautiful, and yes, Kagome cried a lot. But for her, it was like a closure. Part of the long goodbye for this era. She sent prayers to the souls of her grandfather and her mother, hoping that they found peace.

After the funeral, Kagome went to where the house and the shrine used to be. Stepping cautiously over the rubble that was scattered everywhere. Reaching the ancient tree, which still stood proudly, throughout everything that had been thrown at it. About ten feet from the tree, used to be two large stones with old Japanese inscriptions on them, but now were big chunks of rock. The heavy roof tiles from the shrine had landed on the rock and cracked it, and then the added weight of a large beam had broken them. Shaking her head at old memories, memories of crying because of Inuyasha, of being scared as a child, and of running here when things upset her. The tree had an aura of it's own, a softly pulsing aura that exuded calm. Kagome knelt at the ground, picking up a small stone. Standing straight again, she looked at the stone. _It's just gray, but it's a part of my childhood. Of me. Of my family. _Memories came of her and Souta playing tag a few years ago, when he was still a little kid. They'd been running around the tree, just laughing. Kagome smiled, albeit sadly. She wondered where Buyo had gotten to. For some reason, Kagome knew he was still alive somewhere.

The news on the television were broadcasting Souta's face, asking if anyone has any information about Souta's whereabouts. No luck so far, though. _Souta, where are you? I miss you._ Kagome thought, holding the stone close to her chest. Two more weeks, she'd wait, and search for him. And after that, she'd take the things she had left, which included some of her clothes, Gramps' old holy beads, her mother's old necklace, and A picture of the four of them outside the shrine. Gramps was wearing a kimono, as always. Souta was sticking his tongue out, and her mother was just smiling brightly.

That night, at Eri's house, Kagome fell asleep studying the second time in a row. Eri didn't bother her much when she went into the guest room. Something scratched at the window, but it wasn't enough to wake Kagome. The scratching got louder until the window finally opened, barely even creaking against the hinges. White dog ears and light gold eyes peered up over the windowsill suspiciously. "Kagome?" he whispered. He poked his head in, finding Kagome with her head against the desk. Leaping agilely into the room, he padded silently over to her. "Kagome, wake up." He said, a little louder this time. He'd seen the rubble that was her house, and traced her scent to this strange apartment building about four blocks away from where her house used to be.

"Nnn." Kagome murmured, waving her hand at air. "Inuyasha?" She peeked up from the desk, her eyes bleary. They were more somber than they were a few days ago.

"Kagome, what happened?" Inuyasha asked, feeling bad that he hadn't come any earlier. But Kikyo had been there...

"Ngh, Inuyasha, what are you doing here?" Kagome asked, waking up with every second.

"I came to come get you, now are you gonna answer my question?" Inuyasha sounded a little bit agitated.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "My mom and Gramps are dead. An earthquake took down my house." She said, grief still pricking her. "And I've been staying here, taking care of funerals and finishing high school."

Inuyasha looked... surprised. Kagome watched as several emotions flickered across his face. Sympathy, guilt, more guilt, and what looked like... remorse? "Oh... Kagome, I'm... I'm sorry. If I'd known, I would have come sooner."

Kagome nodded, a little curtly. "I know... You were with Kikyo?" She knew that she'd never have a romantic relationship with him, so she decided to just be friends. "No, no, don't feel upset or whatever. I don't mind. I know you're happy with her. So just... friends?" She held a hand out to a dumbfounded Inuyasha.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha realized that even though he'd only been gone a week, she'd done some growing up. He took her hand and shook it slowly, letting a smile come across his face.

She smiled back. "Don't just shake my hand. Come here, damn it." Kagome almost snickered at his expression before she hugged him. His arms came around her, just like old times, but this was different. Kagome knew that nothing would ever be between them like it had been, and that his heart belonged to Kikyo. He knew that he loved Kagome, but not like Kikyo. She was his best friend. She'd always been there, if maybe for the wrong reasons before. A sort of rightness settled over her.

"So... You're not mad about Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked as they pulled back from each other.

She gave him a funny look. "No, I told you. Friends, right?"

Inuyasha blinked twice, not sure what to make of Kagome at the moment. "Yeah. Friends."

Kagome tilted her head to the side. "So, what will you do now?"

Inuyasha balked. "You mean you're not coming back?"

"No, no, I'll be coming back in two weeks. I'm just graduating high school, and I'm trying to find Souta. He's missing." Kagome explained, spreading her hands out in a gesture of helplessness.

"Ah, I can find him easy. C'mon, let's head back to your place." Inuyasha turned his back toward her, holding his arms out. Kagome faltered, this wouldn't really help their friendship status. But it wasn't like they'd done anything while he ran with her. She climbed onto his back as his hands looped under her knees. Somehow, it felt different than it had a few days ago. She didn't get butterflies from his touch. She didn't feel giddy like she usually did. The city flew past them, and Kagome wished that she had some special ability. Her priestess powers, to her, were hard to access. And they certainly didn't give her superpowers.

Landing at her old house, Inuyasha began sniffing around the remains, pulling out something of Souta's. It was a t-shirt. He took a long inhale from it. "He's been here. Not too long ago, but heading that way." He said, pointing to the thickest part of downtown. "He's definitely alive, I'll tell you that much. He smells like fear." Inuyasha said, wrinkling his nose.

"Oh, no." Kagome murmured. "Will you be able to find him?"

"Of course!" Inuyasha said, indignant. "Come on." She got onto his back again, heading downtown. It was a good thing it was pitch black outside, otherwise, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Inuyasha stopped on a sidewalk, where people were mulling about, doing their own business. They didn't even notice the two. Inuyasha began sniffing around, looking confused. "Uh... I don't know, Kagome. He's around, sure, but I can't find him. Too many different scents. Sorry."

Kagome's hopes fell. "It's okay, Inuyasha. You tried. Can you take me back to Eri's?" She wasn't about to give up, though.

"Yeah." Inuyasha began running. "Hey, Kagome?"

"Mhmm?"

"You seem different."

"Yeah, I suppose I am." Kagome murmured.

"I like being friends." He sounded unsure.

"Me too."

The quiet, plus the sound of the wind brushing past them, was nice. At Eri's house, Inuyasha crouched in her windowsill. "If you wanna go back, Inuyasha, go ahead." Kagome said, sounding amused.

"Nah, I'll stick around until morning." He said, sitting cross legged.

"You sure?" Kagome asked, a little bemused.

"Yeah. Just go to sleep, would ya?" Inuyasha said, feigning annoyance. Kagome laughed, and flicked out the light. As she drifted, Inuyasha stared out the window at the stars, which seemed to be so less in number here. "You _are _different from Kikyo." He told her sleeping form as he watched the moon rise.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Inuyasha was gone by the time she woke up in the morning, but her alarm clock was across the room, unplugged. It looked like it'd been thrown into the wall. Kagome rolled her eyes. The week of finals came, and so did graduation, quickly and uneventful. Souta hadn't been seen or heard of in two weeks now. Inuyasha visited every couple of days, but Souta's scent kept getting lost in the smell of the city. Eri and her mother watched Kagome with confused eyes. She didn't seem depressed, just... a little less connected with the world, and the people in it.

Since Kagome planned on leaving, there must be some sort of reason for her departure, right? So she made it up that she was going to America, and she wasn't coming back. Eri and her other friends had been sad, but they understood. Now, five days before leaving, she stood at the Shrine, which, was being rebuilt. It didn't take a whole lot, it wasn't that big of a shrine, but it wasn't going to have the charm it did before. Kagome had had enough money to rebuild the Shrine and build a new hut over the well, which only took about two days for the workers to complete. The Shrine, however, was going to take a few more days to finish. Thursday, they told her. The day before she left.

"Souta, I swear, if I ever find you, I will beat you senseless for worrying me." Kagome muttered into the warm night air. She'd spent Sunday gathering things together; clothes, shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush, her brush, a bazillion pairs of underwear and bras, etc. _Now that I think about it, I might wanna get a haircut. _She ran her hands through it, reaching her waist easily at the ends. _Then again... I like my hair. I know it sounds silly, but oh well. _There was an anxiety, a nervousness, in her bearing that showed she wanted to be somewhere else. In truth, she was somewhat excited to live in the Feudal Era.

The half built Shrine in front of her caused a pang in her heart. Wishing for things long gone, things that had been lost. The stone she'd picked up had been turned into a pendant for a necklace, which she wore around her neck at all times. It was a reminder of where she came from, who she came from. It had become her source of peace for the past week. She mourned at night, when daylight couldn't keep her dreams at bay. But she hadn't been crying lately. After Inuyasha visited, she had felt... accomplished. It calmed her. So she figured if she kept _doing, _her grief would be kept away. The only thing that kept her from leaving now was the glimmer of hope that Souta would come back. The television had stopped airing photos of him, the negativity of the general public losing interest, and thinking he was dead. Kagome shook her head. There was a letter she prepared to leave on the outside of the hut for the well, for Souta.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Kagome went through things in a little bit of a haze, totally oblivious to Hojo and his advances toward her. Which, after high school was over, had become even more persistent. It was good that she didn't have a cell phone, she mused with amusement. It was Friday night, and the Shrine stood proudly, looking regal and somewhat imposing. It looked different, but nice. It hurt a little to see a different Shrine in the place where the one she knew so well was. Walking to the hut that covered the Bone Eater's Well, she dragged the two absolutely humongous bags with her. Once she got to the door, she pulled the note out of her pocket, taped it to the door, and pulled the bags through. If someone were to read it, it wouldn't even make sense.

Souta. I hate to start a letter like this, but... If you're reading it, that means you've come back to the Shrine, and you're alive. And I'm gone. I went through the Well, and I'm probably going to stay there. But, I will come back two months from the date I put this up. If you're still around, meet me here at midnight.(October 9th, December 9th, February 9th, April 9th, and June 9th.) If you don't want to wait that long, then try going through the Well. It might work, considering all the craziness lately. I miss you, Souta.

Love, Now & Always,

Kagome Higurashi.

Not looking back to her world once, Kagome threw the bags into the Well, and, with a sigh, jumped in after. The magic whirled and flowed as it tossed her through time. There was something incredibly _final _about going through the Well this time, even though it wasn't going to be her last. When the magic stopped, Kagome looked up to find a dusky blue sky. She sighed, almost happily. Making a strange noise, she tossed one of the bags up and out of the Well, and then the other. She crawled up to sit on the ledge. _I hate climbing. _She thought murderously. As she sat, she thought about what she'd just done. Left her world, most likely forever, to live in this place. She caught the stone at her throat, running the pads of her fingers over it's rough surface. Mom, Souta, Gramps, all gone. Tears welled up in the back of her throat, but she stopped herself. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself, and sat straighter. _I'm not going to let that rule me tonight. _Determination flashed in her eyes. Taking the other note out of her pocket, the one telling Souta where to go if he got through, she placed it on the ledge of the Well, then taped it there.

Sighing, she got up and began dragging her bags to Kaede's hut. They were heavy, but she would do this herself. It was her stuff anyway. "Damn..." She huffed. "Earthquakes. Souta had better be alright." She grumbled, talking to no one in particular. The stars had come out by the time she reached the hut, but she smiled to herself satisfactorily. Then fell over on the bags to catch her breath for a few moments. She was completely unaware of the golden-amber gaze watching her from the shadows of the darkened forest. She laid out her sleeping bag, and then grabbed her pajamas. After she changed, she laid on her sleeping bag. And right when she laid down, she thought she heard... Something. But she dismissed it.

On the outskirts of Edo, she yawned. "I guess... I'll always be alone, huh? Even Shippo's gonna grow up sometime." Staring at the stars, caught up in the lonely sky, she sighed. "Goodnight Souta. Gramps. Mom."

End of Chapter 2 – Point of View.

A/N – I hope you guys like it! And please, don't hesitate to review or fav! XD haha. But seriously, very much appreciated. ;]


	3. Chapter 3

A/N – Since I got a great response to this, I'm gonna keep going! Haha, like the title of this chapter? And yes it is TREE dreams. :D I hope you enjoy this chapter, and ask questions, review, favorite. I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the story line. Alright, no more sad stuff. XD this chapter was inspired by "Rakuen" by Do As Infinity. (**By the way, Kohaku passed away after Naraku was destroyed, which happened about two months before the beginning of the story.**)

Chapter Three – Tree Dreams

"_What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." -Oscar Wilde_

The sky was a lot brighter than Kagome remembered being. _And it feels a lot colder. _Kagome thought, pulling her sleeping bag closer around her shoulders. "Nn..." her back was sore from laying on the ground. Blinking, she realized that she wasn't in her time anymore. Last night, she remembered being exhausted from carrying her bags here. And then, changing into her pajamas, but after that. Something had stirred in the bushes, but she had ignored it. She yawned and turned over on her side, wanting to go back to sleep.

"Kagome, I would be so inclined to ask you why you're sleeping outside?" Glancing upward, she caught a glimpse of Miroku, smiling pleasantly down at her.

"And what are these bags for?" Sango asked curiously, gazing at Kagome with her unwavering eyes. Kirara mewed softly, nudging her head underneath Kagome's hand.

Kagome smiled at them, grateful for just having them as friends. "I'm staying here." Kagome winced at her own voice when it wavered slightly. Sango caught on immediately to her tone, her eyebrows coming together in concern. "How come Inuyasha didn't tell you?"

"He just told us that you'd be gone for longer than normal. What happened, Kagome?" Sango's eyes were always so... piercing. Behind her curiosity was a deep concern for Kagome.

In a flash of red hair, Shippou ran past them. "Wah! Kagome, make Inuyasha stop!" He called as Inuyasha raced after the little fox.

"Come back here, you little brat!" Inuyasha growled, whacking him on the head once before Shippou made it to the safety of Kagome's arms.

Hugging him to her chest, Kagome sighed. "I missed you, Shippou. Did Inuyasha give you too much trouble?" She knew she was avoiding Sango's question, but she didn't really want to be that vulnerable. She'd tell Sango later, at the hot spring.

"Yeah! He's been hitting me left and right!" Shippou's voice brought her out of her inner discomfort, but it was Inuyasha's response that made her laugh a little.

"Have not! You lying little... Just you wait. I'll get you, Shippou." Inuyasha crossed his arms and muttered, stalking off in the direction of the village, frown on his face. Shippou stuck his tongue out.

Miroku had watched, amused, but Sango was not to be denied. Her eyes were still watching Kagome, searching for some sort of hint to what had happened. Kagome sighed, she'd have to say it sooner or later. And besides, telling Sango might help. "Sango, would you like to join me at the hot springs?"

The monk feigned innocence. "And I'm not invited?" Kagome snorted, grabbing some towels and toiletries, while Sango shot him a glare. Despite the reason she was here for good, Kagome was happy that she was here with her friends, and Shippou. Even Inuyasha. Everything seemed almost normal.

At the hot springs, Sango stayed somewhat quiet. "Kagome? Please tell me something horrible didn't happen to you."

"Not to me exactly. There was an earthquake on my side of the well that destroyed my home, and killed my mother and grandfather." Sango, most of all, out of anyone, would understand. He pain exceeded Kagome's own. At least that's what Kagome thought. "My brother's missing." Just then, as it hadn't occurred to her before, she realized how similar their situations were, and yet not. Sango dealt with her pain differently. For Sango, it was all or nothing.

"Oh... Kagome..." Sango's eyes echoed with pain.

"I'm sorry, Sango. I didn't want to bring up old memories." Kagome sighed, and started to wash her hair.

"No, no... It's alright." It hadn't been very long since Kohaku's death, but Sango was trying. "I just... I didn't want what happened to me to happen to any one else."

Kagome smiled at Sango. "Well, we're still here. And I'm sure as long as Miroku's around, he won't let you give up. I've never been one to give up anyway. That just makes things boring."

0-0-0-0-0

"But that flower was pretty on you, Master Jaken!" Rin complained as the little toad took the bright pink flower from his head.

He scowled. "Rin, you crazy girl! Stop putting flowers on me!" His arms flailed ineffectively at Rin, who just laughed brightly.

"Master Jaken, where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked suddenly, leaning over to pick a few wildflowers.

"Oh, heavens, girl! I haven't the slightest idea. But he is Lord Sesshoumaru, so he is wherever he wants to be." Jaken had no idea why _he, _of all people had to be charged with watching a two headed dragon _and_ a human girl that seemed to be obsessed with violating his personal space. The weird thing was that the Ah and Un were less trouble. Sesshoumaru had told him to stay in the area for the night, Ah and Un would keep watch. But sometimes Jaken wondered if that dragon did nothing but eat and sleep. He glanced over, where the dragon lay, basking in the sunlight.

"Master Jaken! Can we go to the river?" Rin pleaded.

"No, Lord Sesshoumaru told us to stay here." Jaken said, watching Rin run back and forth to different flowers.

Rin made a weird noise. "He always gone lately!" She cried out.

Jaken, who had grown up around demons, and lived around Sesshoumaru for hundreds of years, was unaccustomed to her random outbreaks of sadness, or just emotion extremes in general. The only emotions he'd seen from Sesshoumaru were anger, boredom, and... No, that was about it. "Silly girl! He's not bound to you or anything." Rin's lip quivered. _Oh, Gods above, help me! _Jaken begged. "Here, Rin, why don't you decorate the staff with flowers?" He quickly amended, holding it out.

"Really, Master Jaken?" Her previous sadness evaporated quicker than mist under morning sunlight.

He sighed heavily. "Yes, Rin." Truthfully, Jaken had no idea where his lord had been going these past couple weeks. He looked more bored than usual, a little more aggravated, which was saying something for Lord Sesshoumaru. And yet, he was always so gentle with Rin. If Sesshoumaru could be predicted, meaning Jaken was usually wrong, he predicted that Sesshoumaru would be back by that night. Or at least, that's what he hoped.

0-0-0-0-0

After speaking with Kaede, Kagome had been able to acquire a hut not too far from Kaede's. The old priestess had been more than willing with the prospect; Kagome suspected it was because she'd asked to be taught under her. Before Naraku was defeated, she didn't really have much time to teach Kagome anything, besides a few salves, and how to channel her abilities into the bow. Sango had even offered to teach her to fight. _That _excited her. Now, she stood in the hut, with her two bags, and unpacked a few things from them. The picture of her family, her sleeping bag, and a few changes of clothes. Kaede had given her a priestess' garb, but she didn't want to wear it just yet. Looking at the picture of her family once more, she left the hut and began walking toward the tree that Inuyasha was bound to. The God Tree. Even though it was in "Inuyasha's Forest", people still went to it sometimes when they had problems, or needed guidance. The sun was dipping into the horizon.

Earlier that day, Miroku had received a message from a nearby village that their family was being attacked by a demon every night. Sango, of course, had gone along with him, leaving Shippou, Inuyasha, and Kagome behind. She'd given the boys some food before going to her hut. The sky was turning light pink. Walking along the path she'd known for three years, she walked slowly until the path opened up into a clearing, where the centuries-old tree stood. At it's roots, she knelt, holding the necklace at her throat. Opening herself up to the tree, she felt it's presence. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes and began to pray. "Strength. For my brother, Souta. I hope that where he is, he is okay. Happiness. For Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. And a good life. For Inuyasha and Kikyo." The tree did not respond except for a slight pulse. Kagome gasped, then, after a moment, smiled. "For some reason, I thought this would happen." Good was the only thing that the tree ever emanated, even in the future. "I can't imagine what five hundred more years must have been or will be for you." Oh darn. She just got confused while talking to a tree. _New level of weird there. _Kagome almost laughed. The tree pulsed again, as if in response to her sentence. She placed her hand on one of the roots nearby.

_Listen well, Kagome. _The voice seemed to come from the tree.

"You... you can talk?" Kagome stuttered, dumbstruck.

_Yes. Now, listen. _The voice was decidedly, in Kagome's head, neither male nor female. It wasn't cold or overly warm, just firm. _If you were to sleep under my roots, I cannot promise safety. _The tree paused. _No, I most certainly can't. But I can promise you visions. Be warned, however, you may or may not like what you see. Not always is the future set in stone. Or, in my case, earth. _It spoke with a slight hint of amusement.

Kagome hated to ask, but she had to at the same time. "But..."

_Because you are one who is light, yet dark, and has not lost herself to either. Now, I must ask you to choose. _

_How could someone lose themselves to both? Is that even possible? _Kagome thought, pondering her choice. She sat for a long time, one hand on the root of the tree. Fear washed through her. What if she saw the future, and her friends were dead? Or Souta? But, the tree had said, the future isn't completely unchangeable. This would give her a chance to save lives, if only those of her friends. "How many times will you be able to show me visions?"

The tree's branches stirred in pink-purple of dusk. _Once every six months for the rest of your life. _

Kagome sat for a moment. "What do I have to do?

_Just keep a hand on my roots. Or my bark. _More branches creaked and shifted, leaves rustling. _I will help you sleep... _The words blurred as she felt crippling drowsiness overwhelm her.

0-0-0-0-0

She was around again. Or maybe it was he that was around. Either way, he could smell her. Wandering through the forest alone does not equal intelligence. Her steps were quiet, compared to most humans that trudged around noisily, breaking all undergrowth that got into their way. It was rather annoying, Sesshoumaru thought. Crouched in a tree again, he watched her walk to the God Tree and kneel in front of it. He'd seen other humans do this. They prayed for a good crop season, or for their family member to come home unharmed. But as she opened herself to it, she also opened her aura to the tree's. In anything he'd ever read or seen, it hadn't been this. He felt the energy of the tree and the priestess shift, raising higher for a moment and then dropping to it's normal. He looked at her and tried to see the girl she was a few years ago, when they had first clashed. What he saw now, though, was a young woman. She had known great measures of pain, and yet, she did not break. Her black hair, waving down to her waist, lifted in the gentle breeze to carry a wave of her scent his way. He inhaled softly. Three years ago, she was not as graceful. Clumsy, limbs everywhere, and pining away after his half brother.

_Curse it. _Sesshoumaru thought. It bothered him to be away from Rin and Jaken for this long. Of course, Ah and Un were protecting them, but even a two headed dragon cannot defeat everything. Staying not one moment longer, he jumped down off the tree, landing silently on the forest floor. His claws itched as he walked away.

At his camp, he had Jaken put a sleeping Rin on Ah and Un, moving them closer to Edo. Ignoring Jaken's complaints, Sesshoumaru left the camp again, making sure his aura flared considerably, warning off any would be intruders. Just a wisp of his aura usually kept everyone away. The stars were beginning to light the sky. As he walked through the forest, he noticed that her scent was still wafting around in the forest. He could hear demons beginning to stir, they were antsy. One, not particularly far from Sesshoumaru, was tracking her scent. Following, his curiosity growing, he kept close tabs on it. It was a bear demon, intent on eating her. _She can't still be out here in the middle of the night. Idiotic. But why? _The question roiled around in his brain as he followed the bear demon, completely undetected. This bear put demons to shame, what with all of it's crashing and fumbling. The girl would have been able to hear it; but her scent wasn't moving at all. Was she daft?

When Sesshoumaru caught sight of the clearing, it looked as though she'd fallen asleep at the tree's roots. Sesshoumaru came to the conclusion that yes, she was daft. But he hated to spill the blood of women and children. Hated it even if they weren't his claws that killed. It wasn't exactly that either, he admitted. She'd become a confusion to him. When she could have so easily done one thing, she chooses opposite. Where common sense was concerned, she lacked a lot of it. But she wasn't stupid either. A human should know when she is beaten, but she did not.  
Making a quick decision, he leapt forward and beat the bear to the clearing, standing in front of the priestess. His claws dripped poison. The bear had no time to react as it's head was cleanly rent from it's shoulders. His eyes flashed, pleased with the kill, as blood dripped off his claws. He turned to look at her. Kagome. She was laying on her side, one hand pressed firmly against a wide tree root. Her breath came slowly. She was definitely asleep, but it was almost trance like. Her eyes flicked back and forth underneath her lids. Her scent was tainted with uncertainty, fear, and confusion. It was a strange and unpleasant contrast to her normal scent. She was afraid of her nightmares, but not afraid of walking in a dark, demon infested forest, by herself even? Her hair slid over her shoulder when she shifted, the black tendrils as dark as night. The power of the God Tree was somewhat of a legend, and she'd gotten it to respond, it must mean something, correct? Kneeling, he placed his fingertips on the roots of the tree. Blurry visions crowded his head. Inuyasha, sleeping, a knife held to his throat by what looked like a priestess. Kikyo stood nearby, bowing in defeat. The words came through, fuzzy and warped. "Yes... Master. I will serve you." Kikyo's voice was dead and cold, furious. That vision was replaced with another. "Kagome... Would..." The words faded in and out. "My mate?" Sesshoumaru recognized Kouga, leader of the Wolf Tribe. He was holding Kagome's hands in his own. Sesshoumaru felt an overwhelming wave of anger and... jealousy? Disoriented, he tried to make sense of it. "Kouga, I..." Kagome's voice was different than Sesshoumaru had heard it last. Of course, he hadn't heard it in a long time. And when he had, he wasn't paying attention to it. The next vision was crystal clear. Rin and Kagome's fox, Shippo, were running around in a large clearing. Sesshoumaru recognized it as a field next to his castle. They were laughing and chasing each other. "Kagome, Kagome, look at the flower that I brought you!" Rin's voice called, and as she got closer, he saw himself off to the left, sitting in the shade underneath a tree. He was smiling. "Sesshoumaru?" Her voice asked him, gentle and calm; it was fuzzy around the edges, and the image started to blur again.

Sesshoumaru tore his hand from the roots, confused and aggravated. The Great Sesshoumaru was not a confused person; that made him even more bothered. He could smell blood, the trees, and her. Sweet rain and vanilla. "What is the meaning of this, God Tree?" He said, his voice dangerously quiet.

The branches of the tree creaked loudly, swinging in the nonexistent breeze. Leaves brushed his left arm. _Sesshoumaru. You have your arm, I see. It grew back, did it? _The tree seemed in no rush to answer his question, rather, asking questions of it's own. _Why do you not sleep? I can sense the uneasiness in your bones, Sesshoumaru. _

He growled, a low, rumbling sound that reverberated around the clearing. Kagome stirred, and he glanced down at her. Taking a last glance at the confusing woman that was Kagome, he turned and walked away. Kagome chose that moment to wake up, seeing only Sesshoumaru's silver hair swaying in the soft night breeze. _Sesshoumaru? What was he doing here? _Kagome glanced down at the floor, and yelped. A dead bear demon lay not feet from her, it's head a few feet away from it's body. Looking at the forest, where she'd last seen Sesshoumaru, she stared at it for a while, confused. Had he protected her? Or had she just dreamt it? But the dead bear was real enough, she caught the coppery scent of blood with her nose. Slowly, she stood and skirted around the body. Facing the tree, she opened herself to it. _Thank you, God Tree. _A deep groan came from it's limbs in response. Kagome was a little scared of the visions she'd been shown. And confused. It was one of the first visions that had _really _confused her. She was standing in front of a wall. And on the wall was an enormous painting. A white dog, rearing on it's back legs in front of a crescent moon. Then, as soon as it had come, the vision was gone. A white dog. Memories came, unbidden, of Sesshoumaru, in his true form. He was huge, his fur pure white. Kagome still felt bad that Inuyasha had cut his arm off. But... Hadn't he had two arms when she'd seen him, not even five minutes ago? She remembered seeing a glint off of his nails from both sides. Maybe he reattached it? It grew back? The latter seemed more believable, to a point. Trying to gather her thoughts together, she got up and began walking. A branch bent and touched her on the shoulder.

The tree's voice this time was slightly more female. _Do not forget this night. He saved your life, even though you have tried to kill each other in the past. _Kagome blinked a few times. She hadn't even realized that. Why would Sesshoumaru, of all people, save _her? _There was no reason. So, by all rights, she would have been dead if it wasn't for him. And out of all the things she'd expected him to do. The last time she'd seen him, it was about two months ago, when they were all trying to defeat Naraku. He'd been the same then. Well, there was that little girl. Rin. Kagome had heard that he'd brought her back from the dead. Taking it all into perspective, she was a little surprised at what she found. After all the time she spent with Inuyasha, to hear him badmouthing Sesshoumaru all the time, she was a little influenced. To be honest, she had never really met Sesshoumaru, or even had a conversation with him. Then again, the only people she knew talked to him were... Rin and Jaken. She'd thought he was just cold and unfeeling. Maybe he wasn't. She didn't really know, did she? The thought caused her an unexpected pang. Pushing it away, she kept walking back to her hut.

0-0-0-0-0

He wasn't going back, he promised himself. That was the only thing. _No... Just the first..._A voice whispered in his head, fueled by curiosity. There was nothing that would make him go back. It wasn't good for either of them, especially if she found out. She wouldn't be able to stop him if she wanted to. She was a human, and she was attached to Inuyasha. His upper lip curled at the thought of the _half breed. _He had no respect, and knew nothing of Inu-Youkai traditions, nor the fact that he, _Sesshoumaru, _was Alpha. Growling low in his chest, he sped up until he was a blur, to the clearing where Rin, Ah and Un, and Jaken were sitting around a fire. Situating himself a considerable distance from the group, he sat silently on the ground. Jaken saw the look on his face and decided that for his sake, it was better to stay silent. Sesshoumaru mulled over the visions in his head, looking for some sort of insight to things that were coming. He thought until the fire died down to scalding coals. _And yet.. _Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. ..._the scent of her lingers. _

End of Chapter Three – Tree Dreams

A/N – Sesshoumaru STALK. :3 XDDD. Hope you guys enjoyed. I liked writing it. Review, favorite, they are both greatly appreciated! :D


	4. Chapter 4

A/N – Oh mah! I can't believe I'm up to eleven reviews, and I've only gotten three chapters up! I have you guys all to thank, you're what keep me going! I truly appreciate all the reviews and favorites, it's made this story my priority for the moment. XD I never thought it'd catch on like it did, so thank you guys, and much thanks to Tsukiyomi Lien. That made my day, and it's just starting! Haha, well anyway, here is Chapter 4! **Mature themes** **warning** to this chapter, and Kikyo/Inuyasha haters must be warned. A lot. I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the story line. :]

Chapter Four – Magical Stone-Throwing Gnomes

"_I own and operate a ferocious ego." -Bill Moyers_

The God Tree, as Kagome had expected, brought on more questions than answers. But it gave her a little insight, and for that she was slightly grateful. She wasn't grateful for the pounding headache blooming behind her eyes, though. She thought back to the vision of Kikyo bowing to some other priestess while she held a knife to Inuyasha's neck. Although the so called priestess wore the normal garb, Kagome suspected that she was more demon than human. And her face was hidden. The only problem was that she didn't know how far into the future that vision was. Or that it was even going to happen. She made a mental note to warn Inuyasha about it later. For now, the exhaustion that was settling in her bones was making it hard to focus on where she was even going. The light of the day had long since faded into darkness, the stars above her a cold, bright silver. Waving silver hair as he walked away. Her thoughts had kept wandering back to him, still confused as to why he saved her. It just didn't make any sense.

Cool night air was settling over the land, and even though it was summer, the evenings here had a tendency to be cooler than normal. Making a frustrated noise, Kagome increased her speed, trying to remember the exact location of her hut. As she passed Kaede's hut, she heard the old woman's soft snore. Smiling, she continued on her way, finally making it to the hut. She was half asleep by the time her head hit the pillow.

0-0-0-0-0 _Warning. Young look away. XD_

Kagome hadn't heard what was going on just a few huts away, in pitch blackness. Kikyo's light pants and Inuyasha's ragged breaths were just quiet enough not to wake anyone. "Ngh. Kikyo..." Inuyasha groaned as he thrust deeply into her. Her nails left little red trails down his back in her fight to pull him closer; her usually stoic face lost in ecstasy. His lips sealed over hers, hot against cool, teeth grazing her bottom lip. He grasped her hips harder, his claws digging in to her skin as he fought for release. He drove them faster, pressing her up against a wall. Just as she was about to moan, he caught her lips again, rubbing his tongue against hers. Her arms twined around his neck, hands grabbing fistfuls of his hair while one of his hands used the wall for leverage. The beautiful pressure was building up; Inuyasha trailed wet kisses down to her throat, where he bit down a little harshly, growling deep in his throat. His thrusts grew frenzied, and he kissed Kikyo again, drinking in her moans and whimpers. Her body seized for a moment as her orgasm took hold, her nails breaking the skin of his back. Inuyasha blinked, and for a split second, in the darkness that Kikyo couldn't see, he saw Kagome's face below him, twisted in pleasure. He groaned, and came half a second later.

After the high of his orgasm, a pit of guilt curled it's way into his stomach. He was silent for most of the night, pondering why he'd thought of her then, of all times. Kikyo gazed at him strangely a few times, her eyes unreadable. "Kikyo... Come here." Inuyasha's eyes were soft light gold in the darkness. She lay next to him, glad that the girl was finally out of the picture. His arm rested around her waist, his drowsiness gaining power over him. "I love you."

"I love you, Inuyasha." She murmured. His deep breathing was the only sound that was left, but she couldn't sleep. Kikyo lay there, content for the moment. It could have been an hour, or just five minutes, she didn't know. Until a presence made itself known, only to her. Sliding away without waking him, Kikyo slipped on her clothes, standing stone still in the darkness. Her powers were less now, but she could still fight if need be. Her bow, she realized, was not there. She'd left it at Kaede's hut.

"Now, now, Kikyo, do not fret." The presence was now inside the hut, but she couldn't see the face. "I'm not going to harm you or your half demon. For now." It was female, or at least, that's what it sounded like.

"What do you want?" Kikyo asked, her voice a dead pan.

The presence, a mere figure in the heavy darkness, chuckled. "Your services, of course." The figure tilted it's head, and Kikyo caught the glint of faintly glowing red eyes.

Silence. "For what purpose?"

The eyes glowed brighter this time, alight with madness. "To eliminate all demons and half demons, of course."

It was obvious that the figure was just a shell to allow whatever _thing _that possessed her to move her limbs about as it pleased. "How would this be to my advantage?" Kikyo's voice was steadily calm, unwavering.

The figure laughed again. "The life of your mate would be an advantage." A blade flashed, this time half a centimeter from Inuyasha's throat. If he were cut there, or stabbed, he would be _very _hard pressed to survive, that is, if the knife didn't kill him on impact. "What do you say, eh? Will you serve me?" Triumph thinly veiled the malice that was seething below the surface.

Kikyo knew that she could not win without killing Inuyasha in the process. "Yes... Master. I will serve you." She said, bowing stiffly and detesting every moment of it.

"Good." The woman cackled quietly, poison dripping off of her next words. "I will send you information on what I wish you to do. You must follow orders, or your _half breed _will die. And you shall follow him. Be warned. Disloyalty begets slow death." And then the figure was gone, leaving Kikyo to make sense of the aftermath.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome decided that she hated being an early riser. But Kaede, on the other hand, was queen of getting up early. "Wake up, Kagome! If I am to teach you, we must do it in early morning."

Groaning, she dragged herself out of her sleeping bag, and blinked a few times to wake herself up. Shippou helped, of course. "Kagome!" The little fox yelled, jumping up to her shoulder.

"Good morning, Shippou. How did you sleep?" She smiled brightly at him, giving him a hug. Nothing like a dose of hopped up Shippou in the morning to get you going.

"Great! Kaede made a fire in her hut, and I guess I must have fallen asleep next to it."

"Here, Shippou, why don't you go draw with these while I work with Kaede?" Kagome dug through one of the bags and gave him crayons and paper. "I'll join you later today, and then we can go bug Inuyasha and eat ramen in front of him. How's that?" Shippou grinned.

"Thanks Kagome!" He said as he bounded out the door, no doubt to find Inuyasha and brag. She smiled after him for a moment, grateful again to be alive.

Kaede turned out to be quite an energetic teacher, in her own roundabout way. It was only noon when they stopped, and already Kagome had learned how to recognize the flu from a cold, and what to treat both with, then how to dress a wound and what kind of salve to use. She was sure that after a while, her medical supplies would run out, and the things she learned here would help her if she or anyone she knew got hurt. It was a comforting thought, and one she relished in knowing. Kaede was smiling at her. "You have done well on your first day, Kagome."

"Thank you, Kaede." Kagome smiled back.

"Well, I have other things to do, so if you would like, run along." Kaede sighed as Kagome walked out of the door, waving to her. _Oh, to be young again_, she thought wistfully. Kagome wandered until she found Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Shippou, all hanging out, slightly outside of the clearing.

Sango and Miroku weren't back yet, and Inuyasha was starting to get antsy. "I swear, if they aren't back by sunset, I'm going after them." He grumbled, crossing his arms. Shippou was still drawing, totally involved in it, actually, he hadn't even noticed Kagome's presence. Rolling her eyes at Inuyasha, she glanced at Kikyo, who seemed a little more glacial than normal, if that was even possible. She looked spaced out, and a little distressed.

Kagome frowned, but said nothing of it as she sat down next to Shippou. After defeating Naraku, that left the group with little to do besides get rid of demons here and there, so it was rational for Inuyasha to get bored. "Kagome! Look what I drew! It's Sango and Miroku!"

Truly, it was. For Shippou's age, he was a good artist. Sango and Miroku were holding hands, and a giant heart was floating between their heads. She laughed, "That's great, Shippou! You need to show that to them when they get back!" Inuyasha glanced at her for a moment, a strange emotion flickering across his face, but it was gone too quickly for Kagome to even recognize it. Kikyo tilted her head to the side, as if she wasn't used to hearing laughter. _Which, _Kagome thought, _was entirely possible. Hell, no one knows where she's been in the past few years. _She made a mental note to laugh more often, and to try to make Kikyo smile once. After all, she hoped there was no bad blood between them. Kikyo's eyes locked with hers, and she seemed almost confused. But before Kagome could make a comment, Kikyo averted her gaze.

Joining Shippou in his drawing, she wrote his name a few times and taught him how to write it. He was ecstatic, and kept asking her to teach him how to write more. "Of course, Shippou, you need to know these kinds of things when you grow up." The thought of him growing up caused an unexpected twist in her heart. Along with the things she'd brought, There were books on random subjects, some of her favorites, and a few on math. She didn't want to just forget everything she'd worked so hard at all those years, that would just be a waste.

Not long later, Sango and Miroku returned, bringing with them a bag of coins. "There was nothing there besides a lizard demon and pretty maidens, Miroku. And you know it." Sango said, sounding annoyed. Kagome grinned and gave her a hug, startling Sango out of her annoyance for a moment.

"Oh, hello Kagome. How have you been?" Sango asked, concern in her eyes.

Kagome waved a hand dismissively. "I'm alright. Are you two hungry? I was just about to make lunch."

Miroku smiled at her. "Your kindness knows no bounds, Kagome."

Turning to prepare some food, Kagome sighed. "Whatever, Miroku." Inuyasha snorted.

After a rather awkward lunch, on account of Kikyo and her unnerving dark eyes, was through, Miroku had wandered off to meditate, and Shippou had gone to play with some of the children of the village. "So, Kagome, are you ready to start?"

Kagome blinked. She hadn't expected this yet. "Uh. You mean now?"

"Why not?" Sango asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Come on. I'll warn you though, I won't be teaching you any moves just yet. We're going to run." It was Sango's turn to grin. _Oh, no._ Kagome thought. _Well, I wanted to do this. _

Running with Sango was a lot more tiring than Kagome had ever thought. She was ten times more in shape, and her stamina was never ending. For the first half twenty minutes, they had talked, but after that, talking caused too much effort for Kagome. Sango just laughed lightly. "Come on, Kagome, you've got a mile left in you." She urged. Kagome's feet burned, her lungs burned, and her mouth was dry. Gulping air, she forced herself on. Sango was effortless, her strides never breaking, never faltering. At the end of the run, they ended up outside of Kaede's hut. It was late afternoon, and Kagome's face was bright red.

Kagome staggered into the hut. "Kaede! I need some water, please." She managed breathlessly. Kaede laughed heartily and gestured to the barrel of fresh water in the corner, a little wooden cup next to it. She took large mouthfuls of water, savoring the coolness. "Thank you." She said. Sango took a few drinks as well, her face a only slightly red.

"In the mood for a bath in the hot springs?" Sango suggested after they'd relaxed from the run.

"When am I not?" Kagome countered, snickering. They gathered their things and left. The hot water felt... awesome, for lack of words, on her tired muscles.

Sango slipped in a moment later. "How are you holding up, Kagome?" Always thinking of other people.

"Well, you know. Everyone has to move on if they want to live life." Kagome sighed, tilting her head back to get her hair wet.

"When did you get so wise?" Sango's brown eyes were alight with what looked like admiration.

Kagome snorted. "Come on, Sango. Me? Wise? The two don't mix."

Sango laughed then, a loud, joyful one that Kagome hadn't heard in a while. "Kagome, sometimes I wonder how you don't realize that you are a very..." She couldn't find the right word. "...Good person."

Kagome's giggles died down. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Thank you, Sango." She'd never really thought of herself the way that Sango apparently thought of her.

0-0-0-0-0

Night had fallen on Edo by the time Sango and Kagome returned, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Almost to her hut, Shippou jumped on her shoulder. "Kagome, is it okay if I sleep with you now? Kaede snores really loud." He looked tired.

"Shippou, you didn't even have to ask, hon." Kagome murmured as he fell down into the curve of her arm, half asleep. "Goodnight." She kissed the top of his head.

"Mm... Night.. Kagome." His voice was muddled with sleep. She smiled down at him. _I may not be his real mother, but I'm going to do the best I can from now on. I'll promise you that, Shippou. _She thought as she brought him into the hut and set him down on the sleeping bag, following after she changed. He curled into the crook of her neck, and Kagome petted his hair softly, falling asleep as she did so.

The first thing Kagome did when she woke up was groan. Her legs were _sore. _Shippou was still sleeping soundly, so she stayed quiet as she went around the little hut and got ready. She pulled a few of the books she'd mentioned the day before out of her bag. The silence of the early morning let her mind wander. Long, silver hair flashed in her head. _I still can't fathom why he'd want to save me. There wasn't any good reason. I know, that's a slightly morbid though, but really. It doesn't make sense. Not... that I'm ungrateful or anything. _Kagome shook her head slowly. Soft morning light filtered through the screen over the doorway. She picked up her grandfather's beads and slipped them around her wrist, staring at them for a moment.

"Shippou, it's time to wake up." Kagome leaned over him, her eyes bright.

"Kagome?" He asked groggily.

"Yep. Get up, sleepy." She said, smiling.

"You don't snore." Shippou said, grinning.  
Kagome laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Do you think you could find the others, if they're awake, and tell them I'll be making tea in a few minutes at Kaede's hut?"

Shippou nodded. "Sure Kagome!" He bounded off without a second thought.

The only people awake, it turned out, were Miroku, Inuyasha, and Kirara. Kaede, of course, was already awake and bustling around, providing Kagome with tea cups. "Why good morning, Kagome. You look well." Miroku greeted as he sat down on the cool ground. Shippou sat proudly on his shoulder.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Morning Miroku. Morning Inuyasha. Good morning Kirara. Where's Kikyo?"

Inuyasha grunted. "Still sleeping." He said, sniffing the air.

Kirara rubbed against Kagome's leg, meowing. She pulled a little treat out of the pocket of her jeans and gave it to the cat demon. She started purring contentedly. "I thought you'd like that." Kagome said, smiling. Buyo had loved those treats. Finishing with the tea, she handed the cups to them, leaving a small cup on the ground for Kirara.

Kaede had a cup as well. There wasn't much conversation, everyone was still trying to wake up, aside from the old woman herself. The sun was already out, proving it was going to be a warm day, if not hot. "Well, Kagome. Are you ready for today?"

"No, but let's do this." Kagome said, preparing herself for the day. Miroku chuckled. Until about a little after noon, Kaede taught Kagome about sacred sutras and a little bit about sealing. Miroku was actually a part of the lesson that day, showing his surprising knowledge on the subject. Kagome recognized little things here and there, having listened to Gramps more than a few times about the sutras. Most of what Gramps had talked about was true, he just hadn't had that much power in that area. After her 'lessons', as she liked to call them, were done, she made sat outside for a moment. Inuyasha and Kikyo were talking quietly, and Kagome waited for a moment to speak.

"Inuyasha, I want to ask you something about a vision I saw." She said, memories of the giant mural and of sitting in a field with Rin, Shippou, and Sesshoumaru coming to her mind.

He blinked. "Um... Sure, Kagome."

"I figured I'd ask you. You're a dog demon, and this might make sense to you, but I'm not sure." Kagome blurted. "I saw a painting on a wall of a giant white dog on it's hind paws in front of a crescent moon. Do you know anything about it?" She hoped he did.

Inuyasha was taken aback for a moment. "That's the symbol of my old man. The crest of the family or something like that. Since when have you been having visions?" His voice was sharp, curious.

Kagome shook her head. "You know the tree you were pinned to? The God Tree?" She asked, a little more confused than she had been before.

"How could I forget?" His voice darkened a little.

"It talked to me. And... it gave me visions." Kagome finished a little lamely.

Kikyo snapped back into reality. "The God Tree gave you visions?" Her voice held incredulity.

"Yeah. Weird stuff happens to me, I guess." Kagome shrugged.

She looked a little confused, which was weird, because she barely showed emotion. "That _is _quite strange. I would advise you to heed the visions well, Kagome." Kagome made a funny face. That was the first time that Kikyo had used her name, or spoken directly to her... In a long time. And it wasn't even a shot at her. It was advice.

Her eyebrow raised, Kagome grinned. "No problem. Thanks... Kikyo. And thank you, Inuyasha." She got up, throwing one last smile in Kikyo's direction before heading toward the God Tree. The stone pendant around her neck weighed a little heavier than normal as she held it in her hand. None of the visions made much sense. Maybe some meditation would help clear her mind. It only took her a few minutes to reach it. She sat quietly, slowing her breathing. With every breath, she swept a little more of her uneasiness and confusion away, until she had relaxed. She didn't know how long she sat there, but a few steps toward her shook her out of her calming reverie.

"Kagome, aren't we supposed to be training?" Sango asked, grinning. "Sorry to interrupt you, but you've been out here a little over an hour. Come on, we got running to do!" She said, helping Kagome to her feet.

"You got me." Kagome sighed, defeated. She giggled.

"Here, put this on your shoulders." Sango held out a pack, and when Kagome grabbed it, she almost groaned at the weight. It felt like Sango had just tossed a bunch of rocks in it. She glanced inside and mentally face-palmed. Rocks. Great.

"It's not that heavy. Alright, let's go!" A light jog started it as they ran along the paths throughout the forest, passing the well and the God Tree a few times. Kagome was panting like a dog, _No offense, Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru. _She thought. The weight wasn't that bad to start out with, but the longer she ran, the heavier it got. She swore there was a magical gnome throwing rocks into the pack whenever she wasn't paying attention.

Kagome made a mental note to bring a water bottle next time, and wear shorts. The jeans were a sweat factory, and they were sticking to her legs. Which was always gross. They finally stopped about an hour and a half later. "You did better today, Kagome."

"Really? I thought I did terrible." She let the pack of rocks drop to the ground and then followed it a second later. Kaede had moved the barrel of water outside, and now Kagome was downing water faster than a sponge.

"No, it wasn't that bad. You must be used to a little bit of weight from that huge pack you carry around all the time." Sango observed as she took a drink from her cup.

"Thanks." Kagome paused. "It's going to get heavier, isn't it?"

"Yes." Sango said, amused.

Kagome made a strangled noise in her throat. "This is gonna be really hard." Sango remembered her training and nodded in agreement. _But, hopefully, it'll be worth it. _Kagome thought, determination steeling her nerves. Inuyasha and Kikyo had gone off somewhere, Miroku was watching Shippou and the other children play, and Kaede had gone off to help a young woman with her pregnancy. The older woman had mentioned that she was close to giving birth, and that Kagome would help with it. She'd blanched a little at that.

The sun was setting again in the sky. It was.. what? Her fifth night there? She wasn't ecstatic, but she was comfortable. Kagome didn't mind this place at all. It was.. nice. The stars were always so bright. Making a quick dinner for everyone, she smiled and laughed, hiding her grief away for now. After dinner, her and Shippou went to their hut. "Alright Shippou, time for sleep." She said, trying to get him to calm down. "If you go to sleep, we can climb trees tomorrow. Okay?"

Shippou bounced, then caught himself. "Okay, Kagome. You promise?" He held up his pinky finger.

Kagome giggled, and locked her finger with his. "Promise. Now sleep." She said gently, extinguishing the candle and laying down. "Goodnight Shippou."

He smiled sleepily. "Goodnight... Kagome." Sitting in the darkness of her hut, she realized she didn't have her grandfather's beads. Her eyes teared up, but she refused to let them fall. Sighing heavily, she tried to push away the pain in her heart for now. Sleep claimed her a few moments later.

0-0-0-0-0

He'd heard them earlier, running through the forests and stirring the animals up. As Sesshoumaru walked across the path that led to the God Tree, he stopped, sniffing carefully. Her scent had passed here a few times, with the demon slayer. Glancing down on the ground, he saw a small circlet of beads laying on the ground. He stared at it for a moment, debating. Kneeling, he picked it up and straightened quickly. His claws grazed the aged wood of the beads as he inspected it. _Some of the scent is hers, but someone else originally owned it. _Sesshoumaru took another curious sniff. _Someone she was related to? It was familiar in a way, but definitely male, and human. _He realized he'd never smelled this man before, which brought about a little more confusion, which, he didn't need.

Softly sighing, he began walking toward the village, following only scent. She smelled of exhaustion, but also gentle calm. _**It is rather soothing. **_A voice chimed in his head. Snarling quietly, he shoved the voice back into the depths of his head. The scent trail led him to a small hut on the edges of the village; there was a breeze that blew her scent his way through the screen that covered the doorway. Sesshoumaru's footsteps were silent as he walked past the screen, knowing full well that someone would recognize his scent there.

Inside, there she lay. Her scent permeated everything, even the fox laying at her side smelled slightly like her. The center of his confusion. Sesshoumaru stood above her, holding the beads in one hand. _I could end this. End her. _He frowned at the beads, then glanced at her. She was calm, her breathing soft and her black hair spread about her. He remembered, with perfect clarity, that her eyes were brown. But strikingly so. Being as smooth as possible in his movements, he took one of her wrists, lifting it gently, so she wouldn't wake. Her pulse thrummed in her veins; they seemed so thin and delicate. He knew that he could break her. _So very easily. _Her skin was warm as well, almost as warm as his own, which was unusual, since his normal body temperature was higher than a normal human's. He slipped the beads on quickly, replacing her hand to it's original place and then turning out of the small hut. _This must stop. _Sesshoumaru thought as he sped away from the village.

_I am unsure that I want it to end. _A voice deep within himself murmured. Four trees fell less than a second later, the trunks dissolving in poison.

End of Chapter Four – Magical Stone-Throwing Gnomes

A/N – Enjoy! :D Reviews and Favorites are like my personal energy drink. XD See you next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N – Thank you guys so much! I'm gonna cry! XD Twenty one reviews? Oh _hell _yes. I love the reviews you guys have given, and the positive response this has gotten. Well, get ready for another chapter and a lot of Inuyasha drama. -_-. I hope you all enjoy this; and I was motivated by the Spanish version of "She Wolf". Even though I speak very little D: French is more my specialty. XD Et voila, mes amis. I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the story line. Be warned, this chapter switches scenes a lot.

Chapter Five – A Wolf's Pain

_We boil at different degrees. -Clint Eastwood_

"Gramps... I'm sorry..." Kagome muttered in her sleep, her brow scrunching up in regret and sorrow.

Shippou had woken up during Kagome's somewhat fitful sleep. Now, the little fox was sniffing around the room carefully, trying to make sure the scent he was smelling was indeed what he thought it was. "Kagome! Kagome, wake up!" He cried, jumping onto her shoulders.

She waved her hand ineffectively. It was still barely light out. "No... Shippou, too early."

"No, Kagome, you really need to wake up!" Shippou's yelling was becoming really detrimental to her sleep, Kagome decided. "Sesshoumaru was in here!"

Kagome blinked her eyes open. Propping herself up on one arm, she inhaled deeply, then sighed. "Sesshoumaru? In here?" That couldn't be right. Otherwise they'd be dead. Then again, he had saved her life the other day. Still; she wasn't sure that he wouldn't kill her himself. She was a little bit annoyed that she hadn't sensed him that night. Or last night. "Are you sure?"

Her adopted kit nodded fiercely. "Only a few hours old, too." He looked troubled.

She reached out her arms to him, but when she saw the glint of the black beads, she stopped. Sure enough, they were there. Like they'd never been missing. Which was strange, to say the least, because she had been sure she'd lost them on the run yesterday. Frowning, she touched them to make sure her eyes were seeing right. "Shippou... did you find these?" Shaking his head, he sat quietly in her lap. "Huh..." Kagome didn't think she sleep walked. "Did I go anywhere last night?"

"Nope, you talked a lot though." Shippou smiled at her. She ruffled his hair.

"Could you smell this for me?" Kagome asked. It wasn't possible, but it was worth a shot.

He smelled it lightly, nose gliding over the beads. "It smells like you... and a little like Sesshoumaru." He glanced frightfully up at her. "Kagome, is Sesshoumaru going to come after us?"

"No, I don't think so, Shippou. Even if he does, I can purify him." Kagome reassured him. She wasn't sure if she could purify him, but she'd try her hardest if it came to Shippou. "Well, let's get ready and head into the village."

"Why so early?"

"I don't think it would be very safe for us to stay all the way out here for very long." Kagome said softly, and as they got ready, she kept looking at Gramps' beads, confusion and a sense of gratitude welling up in her. Of course, she wanted to demand why he'd thought it was appropriate to enter her hut in the middle of the night while she was sleeping. Shaking her head, she realized she would probably never speak with Sesshoumaru that way, if at all. _He brought the beads back... He can't be as horrible as I've thought. _

0-0-0-0-0

"Kikyo... Where are you going?" Inuyasha's groggy voice asked from the other side of the hut. His gold eyes were bright in the soft half light of early dawn as they gazed at her, a somewhat innocent expression on his face.

Her face screwed up in a grimace. "I have to leave, Inuyasha. And if you value your life, you will not follow me." Her voice was pained, bow hanging limp in her grasp. A message had come to her last night, telling her to leave and head toward the mountains.

Inuyasha stood up from the bed, his clawed hands landing gently on her wrists. "What are you talking about?" He didn't know why, but with Kikyo, he was always a more patient person.

She backed away from him, her eyes searching his, begging. They were outside the hut now. "I can't..." She choked.

"Kikyo, tell me." His eyes were hard, pinning her.

She kept backing up, toward the edge of the village. "No, Inuyasha."

His temper flared. "Kikyo, you can tell me, you know that!" He was scared. _Please. I don't want you to leave. _

"No, I can't." Her eyes were bright with pain. "I'm sorry." Her voice was rough, and if she were still alive, her tears would be on the verge of falling. "Don't... Don't follow me." She turned.

"No way, Kikyo. There's no way you're going alone!" He yelled as she walked away. He started to walk behind her.

She whirled on him, anger and grief written all over her pale face. Her bow was drawn, an arrow pointing at his chest. "I told you... Don't follow me, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. The sight was all too familiar. It caused his heart to lurch. "Kikyo..."

"Please..." Was all she said before turning and walking. Her heart was crumbling into pieces, and even if they both survived this, he would probably hate her. Her sobs were dry.  
He fell to his knees. "I love you." He whispered, before running into the nearby forest. Taken her away from him again. Gone.

0-0-0-0-0

It had been a few weeks of Kagome living in the Feudal Era; and she knew that she could be happy here. Kaede and Sango were great teachers, even if her pack was filled with ten times more stones than usual. She was getting used to it, but thankfully, they'd given her the day off: Sango and Miroku were off to slay another demon. Inuyasha had left a few days after Kikyo had left, and even though they weren't loud before, Kagome missed their soft conversations, often on the corners of her brain, but always there. Kagome had wondered if her vision about Kikyo and Inuyasha had come true already. It was possible, but what wasn't anymore? The thought brought guilt into her. She should have told them.

The absence of Miroku and Sango only made the quiet more uncomfortable to be in. Not to mention Shippou was gone, off playing some more. Kagome sighed, left alone with her thoughts. There had been no sign of Sesshoumaru in the past weeks. It was as if he'd never been there; and for that, she felt a little pang, wishing he'd stayed to explain. But did Sesshoumaru explain? No, probably not. Still... she was curious about him.

Laying on soft green grass, she stared at the browning leaves of the trees above her. Fall was such a curious thing. She prayed every day or so, always at the tree, always for her friends and her brother. The date that she'd planned to meet him was approaching fast, and her nerves were already twisting themselves in knots. _What if he's not there? What if he hates me? What if I find out he's dead? What if... Ah... _She was practically _asking _for a throbbing headache later. Pushing the thoughts away, she marveled at how crisp and sharp the smell of autumn was. She'd woken up twice to find herself shivering, and had piled more blankets onto the bed. Then she'd fortified the slight covering on the door with another thick blanket, stopping most of the cold. Shippou approved greatly, his adopted mother needn't get sick in the cold season. That was never good. And she had been wearing thicker clothes. Kaede had said that the priestess garb was thick; and when layered, could keep her warm through the harshest of winters. But Kagome refused the outfit. For now, anyway.

Sighing heavily, Kagome realized that boredom was simply that. Boredom. A lack of anything to do. Everything had been cleaned, Kaede didn't want to do lessons today, and she was alone. "Guess it's time to pray then." Gratitude flickered through her as she gazed at the bracelet on her wrist. _Sesshoumaru... _

The God Tree was as imposing as ever, looming branches towering high above anything else in the forest. "Good evening." She murmured to the tree before kneeling in front of it.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru cursed to himself, eyes flashing. Her sweet rain and vanilla scent wafted through the trees. He'd been careful in the past weeks to not attract any attention while still spending most of his days with Rin and Jaken. Rin's obsession with decorating people with flowers was turning out to be rather amusing to watch, as long as she didn't come near him with them. Jaken had a different flower on his head each day, and even though he looked as though it was torture, every time he was about to complain, Sesshoumaru would silence him with a look.

The stronger, fresher scent of her brought him out of his half reverie. She smelled... nervous. Uneasy. It was trying to his senses. She was at the tree again, he knew. Ever since that strange day, where the tree had given him visions, he'd never gone too far into the clearing. But today, he stood in the shadows behind a few trees, not ten feet from the clearing. The demon slayer would have taught her to listen well; but none could hear his silent footsteps. Gazing at her, he saw a firmer posture and a more confident air about her. Her black hair shone like silk, waving all the way down her back. He blinked, banishing the thoughts from his brain. Today would be the day he got the answers he rightfully deserved. No more confusion.

He took two steps into the clearing. "Priestess." She jumped and whirled around, faster than he would have expected for a human. She stood cautiously, her eyes following him as his did her.

Her eyes widened in shock, but not fear. The sour, pungent odor didn't permeate her scent. Yet. "What are you doing here?" Her voice wavered lightly.

Sesshoumaru ignored her question and noticed her lack of addressing him properly. "Why is it that you speak of earthquakes that have not occurred in over half a century?"

Confusion flicked over her face. "How do you know about that?" Her voice was softer this time. A haunted pain flashed in her eyes.

He simply raised an eyebrow, not deigning to answer her, but waiting for his. Kagome stared at him for a moment, questions roiling in her mind. This was what she'd wanted, right? She'd wanted to talk to him. But now, her nerves scattered, leaving her only with the clearing, herself, and Sesshoumaru. His eyes were narrowed, still expecting an answer, silver hair swaying behind him. His hands, both of them, Kagome realized, were hanging at his side for the moment. "Thank you." If anyone could raise an eyebrow higher, it was Sesshoumaru. He looked annoyed. "For saving me. I just wanted to say thank you...There was an earthquake at my home, and it was destroyed. The Bone Eater's Well allows me to travel five hundred years in the future, where I live."

Sesshoumaru seemed to take the information in, pondering it for a moment. "It is not possible." Though he smelled no dishonesty on her, it simply could not happen.

"My family is dead. I don't think anyone is sick enough to make that up." She quipped, a little irritated. He asked, and she'd told him. What more did he want?

He only stared at her. It was rather unnerving. His gold eyes were darker than Inuyasha's, and told ten times less than his did about what he was thinking. His expression never changed, never wavered. Kagome fingered the beads nervously. "About the beads... Shippou said that they smelled like you... So I thought.. Well, thank you for that, too." Her eyes met his, hardened gold against soft brown. He'd expected fear, cowering, like other humans, and demons even. Not gratitude.

His claws itched. When he stayed silent, she fidgeted once, drawing one of her arms across her middle, and over her oddly tight clothing. It was nothing like clothing he was used to. "Um.. If you're going to stay silent..." Her uneasiness multiplied as she took a step toward the path to the village. He watched her, eyes never moving from her. Even though she'd answered his question, he wasn't sure he was satisfied. She gave him a weak smile as she walked away, down the path.

As soon as she was out of sight, he spun on his heel and strode off. _More questions than answers. Damn. _Sesshoumaru thought, a little angry. He wasn't supposed to be curious anymore. He got what answers he wanted. And now, there was a well that allowed a girl to travel through time, and said girl was confusing him. _Him. _Sesshoumaru growled softly, more at himself. Not to mention one of the members of his counsel was dead, killed by a knife to the heart. The message had arrived early that day, brought by Myouga. He'd sent the little flea back to keep control of things for the time being.

0-0-0-0-0

Savage howls ripped through the evening twilight. "Kouga! Kouga, come quick! The beta, he's dead!" Voices shouted, and chaos erupted. "Kouga!" The howling went on, sounding of loss and pain. Beneath the shade of a large tree, lay a dead body. Arrows sprouted from it's chest, smelling of purifying energy.

A female wolf demon crouched nearby, howling her agony to the world. Kouga appeared next to her, a hand on her shoulder. "Minako. Calm down." His rough voice soothed. He gestured for Ginta and Hakkaku to take her to the caves. They knelt down next to her and helped her up, walking away.

"Ah... Hachiro." Kouga pulled the arrows out of the body, making a sickening gurgling noise as he did. The wolf had been young, but level headed and strong. After most of his wolves were killed a few years back because of Kagura, he'd assigned Hachiro as his new beta. Since then, the pack had flourished under their leadership. He was a good wolf, and a good man. His mate would miss him terribly, and so would the rest of the pack. Sighing heavily, he reached down and picked Hachiro up. Hachiro's long black hair, tied in a high ponytail, hung down and swayed with Kouga's footsteps. It pained him to know that his most trusted beta was gone; heaven help the one that killed him, because Kouga intended revenge, and so would the rest of his pack. As he carried Hachiro's body up to the caves, other wolves of his pack began noticing. Their lamenting howls echoed to the rest of the pack, and soon they all sat underneath the rising moon, howling and whimpering their loss to the skies. Kouga laid Hachiro's body on the ground gently. He tilted his head to the sky and howled loudly, and his pack echoed him, their tails lashing. His howls and Minako's howls were loudest, carrying miles away.

0-0-0-0-0

Inuyasha sat in a tree, far away from any village, as he rested for the night. It'd been a long day, searching endlessly for Kikyo, or at least her scent. He'd lost it within the first day, and now all he had to go by was a farmer saying he lent her a room for the night in exchange for herbs to heal his daughter's illness. He knew that eventually, he'd find her, but the prospect seemed so impossible.

Out of the trees came a saddened howling so pained that it pulled at his emotions like strings and laid them bare. The wolves, Inuyasha recognized, were mourning. He could understand that. He listened silently as the howls continued long into the night. He didn't complain.

0-0-0-0-0

"Master Jaken..." Rin said, suddenly somber. She should have been asleep by now, the moon was rising. The toad glanced at her, and saw her eyes, widened with fear. The howling of wolves in the far distance was scaring her.

"Be calm, Rin, go sit next to Ah and Un. You know that if there were any wolves nearby, Lord Sesshoumaru would have taken care of them." Jaken was a sucker for her eyes.

The little girl complied quickly, laying on a fur pelt that Sesshoumaru had left for her to sleep on. She curled up next to Ah and Un's stomach as the dragon nosed her gently, as if to comfort her. She giggled a little, and as soon as she was asleep, Jaken sighed the heaviest, hugest sigh he'd ever sighed. She was tiring.

0-0-0-0-0

Shippou, as it turned out, was fascinated with wolf howls. He'd told Kagome he wished he could howl like them; but he was only able to do short barking howls that sounded slightly like a coyote. The sound of the howls laid out her pain at losing her family, and not being able to find Souta. The howls seemed to go on forever, and Kagome almost felt bad for them, because whatever they were mourning must have been something they valued very highly. She didn't sleep much that night, partly because of the wolves and partly because of Sesshoumaru. His eyes were so... unnerving. It made her feel like he saw right through her, and yet, she never knew what he was thinking, or feeling. Once. He kind of reminded her of a lone wolf. Snorting to herself, she shook her head. _That's right, Kagome. He's a lone wolf. _She thought sarcastically. A particularly loud howl had her blinking her eyes.

0-0-0-0-0

"Miroku?" Sango's voice called from inside the house.

"I am outside, dear Sango." Miroku said sagely, a soft smile on his face.

Sango's answering snort came from behind him. She sat next to him, staring at the moon. "What's that? Do you hear it?"

"A wolf pack, I believe. I heard it not too long ago. Eerie, isn't it?"

Sango listened for a moment. "Yes. It really is." She paused. "They sound sad."

"Maybe they lost a loved one." Miroku wasn't talking about the wolves. "Yet they remain strong throughout the roughest of hardships."

The demon slayer gave Miroku a sidelong glance.

"They have each other to depend on." Miroku murmured, still gazing at the moon.

Sango smiled a little. "You are very wise, Miroku." She said softly.

He blushed at the comment, staying silent, but a smile forming across his lips. His eyes wandered sideways to Sango, who was sitting peacefully, seeming lost in her thoughts. She was very beautiful. More beautiful than any of the women he'd asked to bear his children. She was a treasure not to be lost, or treated wrongly. She deserved much better. And Miroku had full intention to make sure she was happy all her life.

0-0-0-0-0

Howling wolves. Sesshoumaru kept walking, listening to their story. They'd lost their beta. Just because he was a dog didn't mean he didn't understand wolves. He'd lived for more than a few centuries, and those centuries had given him the time to learn many languages. The wolves were announcing the loss of him, staying up all night for a proper vigil. From the sound of their howls, the beta had left behind a beautiful mate and an unborn pup; he'd also been a good wolf to them. As wolves, they were the base representation of pack. One wolf's pain was the pain of all. Sesshoumaru stared at the stars for a moment, his thoughts all astray.

End of Chapter Five – A Wolf's Pain

A/N – Like it? Hate it? XD Review, comment, favorite! Pleases! Anyway, I'll see you next chapter, which will be longer than this one! Oh, and a whole wolf pack howling can be heard here :

.com/watch?feature=iv&v=F-oAaElViaU&annotation_id=annotation_795214

I highly suggest you watch it; it makes this chapter better.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N – Ohhh, sadness, not so many reviews this time, but I will persevere! Sorry about the wait, I had a camp... thing to go to that was... awesome, to say the least. A lot of sex talk. XD Well, I have to say I love you guys! :D And reviews make me super happy, and it helps me to work better; no joke. It is like motivation embodied. I actually had to watch videos on child birth. Anyway, chapter six for y'all! I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the story line and random OC characters. Here you are!

Chapter Six – October 9th.

"_With hands held high into the sky so blue_

_As the ocean opens up to swallow you." _

_-Linkin Park, Hands Held High._

"Push, Suzume! You're almost there, just keep pushing!" Kagome's hand was about to commit suicide. Inside Kaede's hut, Suzume lay on a few blankets on the floor while Kagome held her hands; and Kaede, being the woman she was, had situated herself between Suzume's legs. The young woman was screaming loudly, and unfortunately, into Kagome's ear. This was the fourth hour they'd been at helping her with labor; and Kagome had decided that child birth was hell if _she _was exhausted. And she wasn't pushing a watermelon out of her crotch.

That morning, Kaede had busted into her cold room, yelling about hurrying. Hence the predicament. The baby had come right on time. "Kagome, switch my place. You should see this."

Kagome's stomach flipped. "What? Me?" Suzume's hand was like an iron vise.

"Now, Kagome!" Hurrying to Kaede's place, Kagome was a little bit astonished to say the least; she could see the head of the baby coming out, a tuft of wet, slicked black hair stuck to it's head. "Kagome, you must catch the baby. Grab a blanket and hold your hands out. Be very careful." Kaede's voice was strong and steady, but Kagome felt none of it.

"Okay." She said shakily. Scooting forward, Kagome extended her hands. She could hear Kaede murmuring soft words of encouragement, but she didn't—couldn't look away. Suzume pushed a final time with a much stronger cry, and the baby slid from her and into Kagome's waiting grasp. She did what she thought was right; she used the blanket to clean off the baby for the most part, listening for a cry from the baby. Kaede's eyes peeked over Suzume's stomach, gazing at the baby.

Kagome only stared. It's eyes were closed, and it's tiny hands flailed back and forth, reaching. Looking down, she realized it was a boy. _It's worth all the pain if you can call something like this your own. He's... beautiful. _One of her fingers reached out to touch the palm of the baby. The skin was soft, damp, and he looked healthy. Kagome stared, in awe. A warmth spread through her heart that brought an image of Shippou to her mind. She smiled. Something struck her. Kagome realized that giving birth to a child was one thing she wanted in life. To spend her life with someone who loved her completely, and have children. Too bad that was probably never going to happen. With a sudden move of his limbs, the baby's mouth opened and he let out a loud wail. "It's... a boy." _If miracles do exist, then that's one of them. _Smiling tiredly, she handed the baby to Suzume to hold.

In a dazed sort of state, Kagome smiled at Suzume. "You are very lucky, Suzume. What are you going to name him?"

"I think... Kichirou." Suzume looked drained, but smiled anyway at her son.

"Well done, Suzume. Well done, Kagome." Kaede said quietly, shooing Kagome out of the room and following quickly. "I will be back with some tea."

"Is birth not beautiful, Kagome?" Kaede asked.

Nodding vaguely, Kagome realized how much Shippou meant to her, even though he was not blood. She knew that if she were to have a child, she would love them both equally. Siblings... "Souta!" She blurted. Today was the day!

Kaede was gazing at her oddly. "You seem distracted, Kagome. Go... Work out whatever problem the universe has thrown at you." She jested, smiling as she went to make tea.

Kagome thanked her quickly and ran to the tree, tying up her hair on the way. Since Sesshoumaru had talked to her at the tree, she'd been a little wary at staying there, but there was no sign of him. Bursting into the clearing, she dropped to her knees and tried to calm her breathing. _How could I have forgotten what day it was? _She questioned herself, frustrated slightly. _Please, God Tree, would you speak with me? _She opened her aura and herself to the tree. The gentle thrumming of the tree pulsed once.

_What is it you need, child? I feel a shifting in the world ahead. _The tree murmured, it's strange voice resonating in Kagome's mind.

"I don't have the strength. What do I do?" She panicked, leaning forward. She showed a flash of images in her head, trying to open them to the tree.

_I understand. You fear of his absence. Worry not, the future holds many surprises, young one. Come to me after you return. _And then the tree was silent again. Kagome sighed. "Well that was a lot of help." She pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands and scooted back to the bark, resting her head against the bark. Her mind wandered, as it often had in the past few weeks. There was the confusion of Inuyasha and his disappearance, Sango and Miroku's ever lasting flirt session, and Sesshoumaru. He'd spoken to her a while ago... And saved her life. Even returned her grandfather's bracelet. But now, nothing. No sign or anything of where he'd gone. Which was... saddening to a degree. She still wanted to talk to him.

The drowsiness that she'd been putting off this morning for Suzume and her baby was now coming back in full force. "Ugh." She got up and staggered toward her hut. Shippou was with Sango and Miroku, and who knows what they were doing, so that left precious nap time. Kagome sighed happily. Sleep was a gift from gods. Walking through the trees, Kagome was struggling to keep her eyes open. She only missed her pillow slightly, curling up on her side and falling into a heavy slumber.

_"You'll pay for this!" She yelled at Mukotsu, who was grinning like a madman. _

_"Oh, won't I? You're quite delicious!" Mukotsu's eyes ran appraisingly over her scantily covered legs, and Kagome wished for the brilliant invention that was sweatpants and an ugly t-shirt._

_Just as the poison was about to put her under, something broke through the wall and let wonderful fresh air in. But the one standing there wasn't Kagome's usual savior. Instead of red, Kagome saw white. A calculated killer stood not five feet from her. Sesshoumaru; the Killing Perfection. _

_"Se—Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked hesitantly._

_"Hn." _

Kagome woke with a gasp. "Sesshoumaru?" The name was unfamiliar on her lips, but not unknown either. The incident in her dreams had happened over two years before; and then she still thought of Sesshoumaru as... well, Sesshoumaru. Suffice to say, he wasn't all bad if he'd saved her twice. Glancing out of the window, she noticed it was getting close to sunset. "Crap!" Her nerves clenched in her stomach, anxiety brewing a thunderstorm the size of the Himalayas in her head. She grabbed a few things before running out of the hut and to the well. Nothing else mattered in that moment except for Shippou and Souta; trying to put together what was left of her family and friends, to salvage a happy life from it all. It was working so far.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru watched the well with thinly disguised curiosity, his thoughts whirling. There was no way that the well transported the human girl to the _future. _It was a somewhat strange thought. A few moments later, she ran through the clearing, her eyes bright with fear, fragile hope, and anxiety. For a slight second, Sesshoumaru thought she may have been chased here by the look in her eyes, but nothing followed. Swinging her legs over the edge, she took a huge breath and leapt. Sesshoumaru leaned forward, waiting to prove her deceit. Yet; the well flashed a bright purple, and she was gone. He blinked. Her scent was there, but not her. Simply vanished. Maybe it wasn't so much blasphemy as Sesshoumaru had thought. He walked to the well and sniffed the air again. Her uneasiness and anxiety floated to him, along with the smell of... blood? But he could neither see nor hear her. Or even sense her aura. She was gone. _I must understand this witchery. _Sesshoumaru thought with annoyance. It would not do to leave this while not understanding, no, not knowing, what was going on. Anything that was out of the ordinary or defied explanation ignited curiosity in him; which in itself was a curse, because he wanted to _know. _

Deciding to wait to question her afterward, he returned back to Rin and Jaken, more distant than when he'd left.

0-0-0-0-0

It was dark in her time, but the sun had just set. Kagome pulled herself out of the well quickly, going outside into the cold evening. The note on the door was still intact, which could be taken both good and bad. Maybe he'd seen it and left it? Maybe he just read it and ran? Maybe he didn't come back...

The ground underneath her feet was wet from an earlier rain. Kagome sat on one of the wooden benches and pulled her jacket closer to her chest. No one was around, it looked like. The Shrine still looked like it was in good condition; it hadn't changed since she'd left a few months before. Nostalgia swept over her in a wave. She remembered the smell of incense, always floating around the grounds. Gramps said it would warn off demons. The smell of her mother's cooking wafted through her memories, and Kagome felt her eyes prick with moisture. _Always be strong._ Her father's voice echoed. She wrapped her arms around her knees and swallowed. The relative silence of the Shrine was somewhat comfortable, but Kagome had forgotten how loud her time was. Cars, sirens, alarms, music, it was all in the background of her hearing.

Kagome's hopes dwindled as time went on. It was almost midnight, and not one person had come to the Shrine. Her fingers were constantly at her necklace, finding solace in the rough stone. She hoped with all her heart, that even if Souta was alive out there somewhere, he was safe. _Souta... I miss you, and I wish you would come back. Why is it that you ran off? Where did you go? Are you happy? _Her eyes searched the skies for something she didn't find, and she tightened her arms around herself. The memories of her family came back in a rush. She gasped, her breath choking into a cry. "I miss them." She said, her voice rough. The moon shone through the clouds, illuminating the Shrine and the God Tree. She felt so... alone here. Nothing seemed right. The noises of the city were suddenly too loud, the lingering smell of incense too strong, and the absence of Souta was too much to bear.

She flung herself up from the bench and looked at the clock. 12:45. Fifteen minutes, she would wait. Her nerves were tied up in knots, and there was still a slight hope that he would come, if not tonight. She pulled a pen out of the small bag she'd brought with her and added onto the letter that was on the door of the hut.

_Souta. It's October 9__th__. And I didn't see you. I hope you'll be here next time. I love you._

_Kagome. _

She signed it and went back to sit down on the bench, closing her eyes. She wasn't tired physically, but she felt like someone had taken her emotional self on a cross country run. When one o'clock rolled around and no one showed, she felt tears slipping down her face, her hopes at seeing him tonight gone. The well was welcoming to her as she jumped back through it; spinning her through time.

Moonlight was shining down into the bottom of the well. Biting her lip, she tried to hold back the tears as best she could until she got to the God Tree.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru had had every intention of questioning her when she returned from... wherever she was from; but when she surfaced from the well, Sesshoumaru smelled her tears; and rain. Which was strange considering it hadn't rained for a few weeks. He wrinkled his nose. The scent of her tears clashed unpleasantly with her normal scent, and it made Sesshoumaru edgy. He followed as she ran toward the tree, getting a little more agitated with her tears and every second that passed. "Please. You asked me to return here." She murmured.

For a moment, Sesshoumaru thought she was speaking to him, but that was impossible. She hadn't sense him, had she? "Please." No, she wasn't talking to him. The Tree?

He supposed the Tree stayed silent, because she kept crying softly, the saline scent of tears wafting toward him on the breeze. It was bothering him. "Do not cry." He said, his voice floating through the clearing to her.

She glanced up, frightened. "Sesshoumaru?" She asked. But he was gone. He'd turned the other way, trying to get the smell of her tears out of his nostrils. It was true, her tears were nagging at him, but he had no need to say anything. He could have just left before he said anything. He _should _have left without saying anything.

At his temporary camp, he settled near a tree and watched Rin and Jaken silently as usual. As they turned in for the night and fell asleep, he slowly allowed himself to fall into a light sleep.

_"Look at what I found! Isn't it pretty?" Rin's voice chimed brightly throughout the field. _

_Laughter rang out. "Yes, Rin, it's beautiful. I think it would look nice in Sesshoumaru's hair." The woman said, her voice mischievous. Sesshoumaru glanced around and realized there was an odd warmth in his lap, and one of his arms was around the woman that spoke. But he didn't move. She had long waving black hair, and though her waist was small, her hips were wonderfully wide in all the right places. One of his hands was splayed across the flat expanse of her stomach, while the other was supporting them. Her hair was pushed off to one shoulder, exposing her neck. There, on the pale flesh of her throat, was a small, deep blue crescent. _I mated this woman? Who is she? And **why**? _She tilted her head back to lean against his chest, a sigh of contentment leaving her lips. _

_"Sesshoumaru? Are you alright?" She turned toward him, her bright brown eyes meeting his. _

_His eyes widened. Her? _Out of all of the females, I chose her? _"You?" _

_"Huh? What do you mean, Sesshoumaru?" She looked confused. _

_Sesshoumaru ran a claw over her mating mark, and her eyes fluttered closed. "You..." He felt along his neck, and sure enough, there was a mark. His eyebrows came together, curious. His claws grazed her mark again, and she shuddered, but not in fear. Her hands roamed up his shirt, but he couldn't bring himself to push her away. They moved no further than his chest as her eyes opened. _

_"Sesshoumaru...?" She asked, a little confused. "Rin, go find Jaken and Shippou, would you please?" _

_"Okay!" _

_Sesshoumaru stared at her, muddled. Her legs were on either side of him, the heat between her legs against his. "Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?"_

_He grasped her jaw gently and tilted her head to the side, sniffing her neck. His scent was ingrained into hers, and strongest at the mark. Yes, it was positively his mark. _What has happened? _He thought, brow furrowing. When his nose brushed her mark, her hips pressed into his. He inhaled tightly through his nose, baring his teeth. On their own accord, one of his hands landed on her hip and the other against her back, pulling her closer. His mind repelled fiercely as his dream self grazed his fangs across her throat and the mark. _

Sesshoumaru jolted awake, nostrils wide and eyes wider. "Impossible." He muttered, furious. No such thing would ever happen.

0-0-0-0-0

Her tears had stopped. She stayed there, contemplating, until dawn. _If he was truly as bad as people say, would he have told me to stop crying? He doesn't even know me. I don't know him. But we keep talking to each other. Dang Tree. Won't give me any good answers. _Kagome huffed, crossing her arms. This was not how life was supposed to be. There weren't supposed to be talking trees, or depressing priestesses, weirded out trees, or confusing and quite... attractive, arrogant demon lords. Over the past few months, her life was taken wildly out of control and thrown into the rapids of a complicated existence. She wished... Kagome sighed. _I wouldn't change it though. _

End of Chapter 6 – October 9th.

A/N – Sorry about how short it is, I didn't want to add anything else in just yet. Hope you liked! :D


	7. Chapter 7

A/N – Quick update, no? XD Haha, I decided since that last chapter was so short I'd update two! :D I hope you guys like it! Review, Favorite, alert, whichever! I lufff you guys. I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the random OC's!

Chapter 7 – Stupid Wolf

"_As we travel through life,  
__we realize we cannot do it alone."_

_-me._

The sky was a light, light gray, and the air was icy cold, forming clouds of steam around everyone's mouths. Kagome, Shippou, Sango, Miroku, and Kaede sat around a fire. Kirara sat in Kagome's lap. A week had passed since October 9th, and the weather had just gotten colder. Sango decided that it was too cold for much practice, and Kaede had agreed. Kagome still visited the Tree, although her thoughts were often clouded by Sesshoumaru; she would see random glances of him whenever she went for walks. It was as if he were following her, but that, Kagome thought, was going too far. She didn't mind it, though. His presence scared away other demons, and it was strangely comforting in the strangest of times.

Edo had become almost like a hibernating bear, not even Shippou's playmates went outside in the cold, which didn't bother the little fox like it did humans. He was getting pretty bored, aside from the way he was progressing in his scent tracking. He would get ecstatic when he could trace Sesshoumaru's scent for a while, but he said it disappeared a lot. Go figure.

No one had seen Inuyasha or Kikyo, but reports of a quiet woman traveling alone were spreading fast, but none of a half demon like Inuyasha. A grudging worry for Inuyasha was hanging over the group, even Shippou was a little anxious. He was worried about Kagome, too. She seemed to be a little distant, but she was happy; he just didn't want her unhappy. "Shippou, I have an idea. Tonight, we're going to roast marshmallows and make smores. How does that sound?" Kagome asked brightly.

Shippou looked at her. "Smores?"

"I'll show you later. It's really good though." Kagome said, giving Kirara to Miroku, who was talking lightly with Sango. She didn't look like she was buying it. "But you gotta promise that you won't go and get wet or anything, okay? I don't want you do get sick." She honestly didn't know if demons could catch colds, but because he was young, she wasn't taking chances.

"But! I'm a demon, Kagome! I won't get sick!" Shippou complained. He'd almost said 'mother'. But he didn't know if she wanted that...

"Still, I want you to be careful, okay?" She kissed his forehead and hugged him. He hugged her back.

"Okay." He drew it out as he gave in.

"Good." Kagome said, smiling brightly. "I'll see you later, alright?"

He smiled at her, "Okay!" Then he went to draw. Sango, Miroku, and Kaede all watched with amused, soft eyes. Kagome quirked an eyebrow and made a funny face at them before heading out to the Tree.

In the clearing, she lowered herself to the freezing ground. Now, since the Tree was all but sleeping, this was more of a place for meditation for her. The trees had lost all of their leaves, and they crunched under her feet, making it impossible to walk quietly unless you were Sesshoumaru. He managed to be silent through anything. Unless he wanted you to hear him. It reminded Kagome of a bad Chuck Norris joke. She snorted, and then started relaxing, trying to ignore the temperature of the ground.

A leaf snapped behind her. She whirled, only to see Sesshoumaru standing like two feet into the clearing. "I'm trying to meditate." She said, still facing him.

He stared at her for a moment, his eyes calculating. "Hn."

Kagome sighed in annoyance, her eyes lingering on his hair. "Do you like snow?"

"No."

"Oh." She looked at the tree behind him. This was a little awkward. "Why?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes searched hers, as if contemplating answering. "It is a hindrance to progress." He said, sounding distant. She sat back down, her hair falling over one shoulder. After the dream he'd had last week, he'd been agitated. It hadn't come back, but it lingered in his brain like a bad habit. A few snow flakes were falling from the sky, promising a nice coating of the stuff. It was annoying, and caused his group to slow down.

"I like it. It makes things so beautiful." Indeed. The snow was falling on her hair and eyelashes, making her look almost like a spirit.

"Hn."

She sighed, biting her lip. "Oh well. I gotta go before there's too much snow. See you." She smiled hesitantly and waved a little before walking away.

He watched her leave, his eyes following her and studying her neck. The skin there was unmarred and pale, only furthering his confusion.

0-0-0-0-0

On her way back, Kagome caught the sight of Sango and Miroku walking along a path, smiling and laughing at each other. Sango was blushing. Sneaking around, Kagome slid off the path and into the bushes to watch them. "...Sango, I swear it. You are too beautiful to be real."

Sango snorted. "Sure, Miroku."

"Sango, I'm being serious." He stopped them and pulled Sango to face him. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and if I died right now, just looking at you, I could die a happy man. Sango... I want to spend my life with you." Miroku murmured, looking at her thoroughly.

"Oh... Miroku." Sango said softly as his hand took hers and he fell to one knee.

"Sango, you are the love of my life. And if there is anyone I want to grow old with and have great grandchildren with, it's you. Will you allow me to court you?" Miroku met her eyes from under his lashes. Kagome made an eep noise, but neither of them heard it.

Sango fell down to her knees and hugged him tightly, saying yes a few times for good measure. "Yes, Miroku." She was crying. Kagome smiled so wide she thought her cheeks would burst. All she wanted to do was hug Sango, but right now, that was Miroku's job. His arms enfolded her as he stood up, holding her close to him and burying his face into her shoulder.

"Aww..." Kagome murmured. Then she went on her way, leaving the couple alone. A longing formed in her chest for the thing they had. Alas... She didn't think she was destined for that kind of life, however much she wanted it. Sadness settled in the pit of her stomach, and she sighed as she entered the village. Snow was falling faster now, catching on her clothes and hair.

When she entered her hut, she found Shippou sitting on her bed, smiling at her. "Shippou? What are you doing in here?"

He looked a little sheepish. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what, Shippou?" Kagome asked, sitting down on the bed with him and pulling him into her lap.

"I... I wanna call you mother." He said softly, messing with the hem of his kimono.

Kagome's heart swelled, her earlier sadness forgotten. "Oh, Shippou, of course you can. I would love it if you did."

Shippou's exclamation of happiness was muffled as she pulled him against her chest. "I love you, mother." Shippou murmured.

Kagome sniffed, tears gathering in her eyes. "I love you too, Shippou." They sat for a moment, just smiling and holding each other. Kagome took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Mother and son; it sent a jolt of satisfaction through her. She knew that Shippou would come to call her mother sometime, but the fact that he finally had was a huge... she couldn't say relief, but it took a lot of her stress away. "Who's ready for smores?"

A few minutes later, the group sat around a fire inside Kaede's hut; it was too cold to be outside, and the snow was falling faster and faster, the light fading. Sango and Miroku kept glancing at each other and blushing, but Kagome let it be. If they wanted to tell her, then she'd let them do it on their own terms. "Is it supposed to catch fire?"

Shippou's voice brought her out of her thoughts as she clamored to blow the flames out. She laughed. "Not that close, Shippou. Good job for a first time." She encouraged. The first time she'd done it, she'd melted it into the fire. As the night wore on, Kagome laughed and messed around with Sango, teasing her about blushing all the time; but soon it was time to head back to their homes.

"Goodnight you guys. Don't have too much fun now." Kagome winked at them. Only Sango and Miroku scooted slightly away from each other, giggling nervously.

"Goodnight Kagome!" They chorused.

The snow had kept falling throughout the time they'd been at Kaede's, and now a solid layer of white covered the ground. "Ach! My feet!" The snow was seeping through her shoes. Time to break out the boots. Shippou was perched on her shoulder as always, half asleep. Heavy weather made the edges of the dark forest seem foreboding and slightly... creepy. Flakes of snow were gathering on her clothes, seeping slowly through. "At this rate, I'm gonna have to light a fire in our house." She muttered to Shippou. He made a soft sound of agreement, curling into her chest. At the hut, Kagome put Shippou on the bed, and quickly lit a little fire. The crackling flames warmed the small hut quickly and heated up her frozen toes. "Ah..."

Aside from Shippou's soft breathing and the popping of the fire, it was still eerily quiet. Relaxing against the bed, Kagome sighed. Her thoughts drifted to Sesshoumaru again, being lulled by the heat of the fire. _"It is a hindrance to progress." His eyes passed over her distantly, his jaw raised. He knew who he was, and he was arrogantly proud of it. He obviously didn't think of her as a threat, because both of his hands were at his sides, and he was facing sideways. A freezing cold breeze swept his hair slightly, the snow catching in it. She couldn't see it though, his hair was __**that **__light. _Kagome snorted at her own thoughts.

Something brushed the blanket hanging over the doorway. Instantly, Kagome froze and waited for the sound again. She reached slowly for the small knife she kept near her bed, listening carefully. Sango had been teaching her to wield it, but she was still a little awkward. The sound of sniffing made her tense, covering Shippou with a blanket. She sent waves of her purifying energy into the blade, making it glow. Fur brushed the side of the hut again, and Kagome hurriedly pulled her boots on, adrenaline pumping in her veins. She stood up carefully, her eyes rooted to the doorway. Pawsteps sounded outside.

Kagome grasped the knife tighter, stepping toward the door. She flung it open her eyes scanning the darkness around her. _Okay, maybe not such a good idea. _She thought, anxiety forming in the pit of her stomach. "Whatever you are, I suggest you get away from here." She hoped her voice sounded commanding.

Growling, from around the hut, caught her ears, and she steadied herself, waiting for something to happen. "Foolish girl." the words were weirdly mangled, like it was trying not to growl instead. The pawsteps sounded again, coming around the corner to her left. A large snout, about five feet in the air, twitched as it sniffed the air. It was as black as a shadow, and as the body followed it, Kagome realized it was a wolf. Yellow, starved eyes stared at her hungrily. A huge wolf. It growled again, only a few feet from her. "Calm down, girl, and I'll make it quick."

Somehow, the wolf reminded her of Kouga's wolves, except this one had no humanity. No kindness burned, no calm, just a vicious predatory gleam. "Nope." An old lullaby flashed through her brain. _Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? _Kagome thought sarcastically. The wolf growled again, and lunged forward, jaws snapping. She dodged, slipping underneath it and thrusting her knife through it's stomach, quickly pulling it out. It whined, staggering as it stopped. Her face set into a determined scowl. "Mom?"

Panic flashed through her. "Shippou, stay in there, okay? Don't come out, no matter what." Kagome said, her eyes still focused on the wolf. Bright red blood splattered on the snow.

"That's what I was smelling? Foxes aren't that bad tasting either." It growled gleefully as it's eyes flashed with madness.

"You can just forget about that plan." Kagome growled. The wolf lunged forward again, this time staying low to the ground. Kagome's eyes widened, and she jumped up and over, the dagger burying itself in the thick flesh of the wolf's neck. She yanked it back while it whined again. As her feet soared over it's head, it snapped up and caught her ankle, canine teeth digging into her and ripping. She yelped, falling to the ground. Unable to stand up correctly, she leaned up against the side of the hut, pain lashing at her. Blood was flowing freely from her right leg. The wound felt like it was burning up.

"Well, well, little girl. That blood of yours tingles, _Miko._" It hissed, licking it's chops. Taking her knife in her other hand, she waited for the wolf to come at her again. When it did, she buried the knife in it's neck again, right through his throat. He choked and gurgled as he fell to the ground, bleeding out on the pinkish snow.

"Showed you." Kagome muttered, sagging against the hut and sinking into the snow. Exhaustion washed over her. "Shippou. It's alright now." Her ankle burned, and it felt like it was sizzling.

The little fox poked his head out of the doorway, his eyes widening in horror. "Mama? Are you okay?" Her heart warmed as he crawled into her lap. He could smell her blood. It clogged his nose, and the smell of wolf was overpowering. The giant, bloody black mass was still; but there was a strange, _wrong _scent about it. Like it was sick.

"I'm alright. Just tired." Kagome sighed, feeling a little lightheaded.

"You need help, Mama, you're bleeding!" Shippou exclaimed.

"Ngh..." _This is fun... The world is spinning. _Kagome thought, a laugh bubbling in her throat. "Get help... Shippou." The last thing she heard was Shippou running off.

0-0-0-0-0

Blood. _Her _blood. It was flooding his senses, the heady copper scent mixed with her scent of sweet rain and vanilla was making him almost twitchy. Almost. Someone was coming through the forest, following his scent, it seemed. "Sesshoumaru!" The small voice called, muffled by the thick snow falling around them. It was her pup. He crashed through the foliage and snow to land at his feet. "Sesshoumaru, my Mama, she needs help really bad. A wolf attacked her and bit her. She's bleeding all over. Can you help her? Please?" His voice was strained. Sesshoumaru had thought she'd just gotten cut on something. The scent of her blood wasn't as strong out here in the forest. But a wolf? He tensed.

"Hn. Come." He ordered, sprinting off through the forest to the edge of the village. The closer they got, the stronger the scent of her blood became. There was a giant black mess splayed near her side, and Sesshoumaru assumed that was the wolf, at one point.

"Can you help her?" Shippou's anxiety-ridden voice asked. He glanced at the fox, silencing him. He knelt down, his silver-white hair brushing the snow. The bite marks on her ankle were troublesome, still bleeding somewhat heavily. A clawed hand reached out to touch her skin, which seemed too ice cold for a human. Her breathing was shallow and quick; her face pale and drawn. Sesshoumaru leaned over and slipped his arms underneath her, lifting her into the air. He brought her inside the hut and laid her on the bed.

"Where are the bandages?" His voice was quiet, but it was an order nonetheless. Shippou scrambled, gathering the bandages in his arms and handing them to Sesshoumaru. He picked up her leg and sniffed it, catching the smell of the poison in her blood. "Put a blanket on her. She needs to be warm." To get rid of the poison, he needed to counter it with his own and take care of any infections she might get. Then her priestess abilities would hopefully destroy any traces of poison. That was the only way that she wouldn't die, and there wasn't any time to look for an antidote. His claws dripped poison as he held them above her wounds, and as the greenish poison soaked in, she hissed and moaned in her sleep, tossing around. Sesshoumaru held her leg fast, not allowing her to move. He slowly wrapped her wounds. The teeth marks would leave scars on her legs. Shippou was silent while he watched, curiosity and concern burning in his eyes. Her eyelids fluttered, but she stayed unconscious. Her skin was still ice cold. Sesshoumaru paused for a moment. _If she is to survive, she must have warmth. But do I want to save her? After taking care of the poison in her system with my own, it would be a waste. And still... _Memories of talking to her earlier flashed through his brain. _It would be a waste. _Lifting her up, he sat on the bed and then lowered her onto his lap. Shippou watched closely, suspicion glowing in his eyes. Sesshoumaru glared at him, and Shippou glared back. Surprised at the fox's lack of submission, he growled lowly in his chest, the vibration traveling throughout the room. Shippou averted his eyes, and Sesshoumaru lifted his jaw. A fox he may be, but he still had canine instincts that forced him to submit to Sesshoumaru.

Satisfied for the moment, Sesshoumaru let his mind wander. The feel of her, however cold, in his arms, brought back the dream he'd had the week before. Almost snarling out loud, he shoved the thoughts away; but he couldn't stop himself from glancing at her bare neck to make sure his mark wasn't there. Pale skin, no crescent. Relief of the strange sort washed through him, only for a moment. After hours of sitting; Kagome began to mutter and move in her sleep. "Sess..." She murmured, sounding oddly soft. "Where's... Shippou.." She was still asleep, he knew, but she was rather vivid. "Stupid... wolf." She muttered, and fisted her hand in Sesshoumaru's kimono. He stared down at her. Pale dawn light was filtering in the hut, and her body was heating with fever. _Burning poisons out. It will take her a while to burn off my poison, but she will heal. _

"Watch her. She will wake by nightfall." Sesshoumaru said. Shippou nodded, his eyes averted. He started walking out, noting that her blood was on his kimono.

"Thank you." Shippou's voice called.

He turned, his eyes watching carefully. He inclined his head ever so slightly before turning and walking away.

0-0-0-0-0

"Ouch." Kagome muttered. Her ankle hurt, but not as much as it did before, when she'd fought off a wolf. A demon wolf, too. Pride welled in her. Kind of.

"Kagome! You're awake!" Shippou jumped on her, his arms around her neck.

"How long was I out?" Kagome asked. It was almost nighttime.

"The whole day!" Shippou said.

Kagome blinked. "Whoah. Who did you go to for help?" She glanced at her leg and saw that it was wrapped well, with precision.

"Oh... I uh..." Shippou paused. "Sesshoumaru."

All Kagome could muster was, "Huh?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "And he helped me?" In all honesty, even though he'd saved her before, she was still shocked to find out he'd done it again. The same odd gratitude formed in her, and a memory of his glowing gold eyes flashed in her head.

"He said that you would wake up now, I think you were poisoned by that wolf." Shippou stated, his eyes bright. "Kaede said that your wound was wrapped well, so she didn't do anything, but the others are worrying about you."

She tried to stand, and there it was. It hurt only slightly to put all her weight on it, but she could walk. Shippou sneezed. She looked up at him, concern in her eyes. "Shippou? Did you just sneeze?" She'd only heard him sneeze when he smelled something awful.

He rubbed his nose, sniffing. "I guess so." She placed her hand on his forehead. She knew that he normally ran a little hotter than humans, but now, he was burning up.

"Are you sick?"

"I don't think demons get sick, Mama." Shippou sniffed again. She shook her head fiercely. Of course, full grown demons probably didn't get sick that often, but young ones were more susceptible. She bustled around and got a cup of herbal tea for him, one that usually helped with fever. Kaede had taught her how to make it.

"Drink up. I don't want you to get sick."

"But Ma-"

"No buts, you need to make sure you don't get sick." Kagome smiled at him as he drank the tea, sitting down on the bed. Despite sleeping for a whole day, she was still tired. That dang wound and the poison seemed to take a lot out of her. "Come here."

0-0-0-0-0

The next morning, Shippou didn't even want to get out of bed, and Kagome was getting worried. He was feverish, and he slept a lot. She was taking him to Kaede's hut the next morning, most of the snow having melted the day she was asleep. "No way are you getting out of this, Shippou. 'Demons don't get sick', my butt." She groused, limping a little.

"I'm sorry, Mama." Shippou sounded genuine.

"Oh, Shippou, I know. It's just... I'm worried about you. I know how to treat human sicknesses, not so much demon ones." Kagome comforted.

Kaede looked up at Kagome in surprise. "I would have thought you were still in bed, Kagome." She looked at Shippou. "Is something wrong?"

"He's gotten sick, and I don't know what to do for him, Kaede." Kagome said, a hint of panic in her voice. Kaede listened as she listed off what was happening. "He's feverish, he has little appetite, and he sleeps a lot."

Kaede frowned. "It sounds to me like he's got the flu. What have you tried on him?"

"I gave him an herbal tea that helps with colds and the flu, but nothing happened. Then I gave him some fever reducer from my time, but that didn't work either." Kagome explained, concern burning in her eyes.

"His demonic power must be burning off anything you give to him." Kaede said, almost to herself.

"Do you know of anything that can help?" She asked. Shippou had fallen asleep in her arms again. The village had come out for the day, enjoying the weak sunlight while it lasted. A flute played in the distance.

"The only things we can do are try normal remedies, child." Kaede said.

With every remedy they tried, and every remedy that failed, Kagome's nerves grew more and more frayed. She worried constantly. After each few days, Shippou became a little more sick. Throwing up, higher fever, a little bit of delusion. Her wavy black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, too stressed to do anything else. She didn't know what to do anymore. Sango and Miroku were always by her side, comforting and soothing. "Kagome, come with me for a nice bath. Kaede and Miroku can look after Shippou for now." Sango urged. The hot water would soothe her nerves.

Kagome sighed. "Thanks Sango. I'd like that." She smiled brightly despite her stress, giving a sleeping Shippou one last glance before following Sango.

And Sango was right. The hot water felt brilliant. "Ahhh... thanks again, Sango."

The demon slayer grinned. "Anytime, Kagome." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Do you mind if I braid you hair after we're done?"

"Sure, sounds cool." Kagome smiled, relaxing further into the water. "This is nice..." She sighed.

"I have to agree with you; and it's nice to know that Miroku's busy elsewhere." Sango grinned again.

Washing their hair and faces, they talked and laughed for about an hour. One thing Kagome loved about the past. The water never got cold like her bath water. After they were out, Kagome marveled at the long braid that fell all the way to her waist. "You know, I've never had my hair braided before. It's nice."

Sango nodded and smiled brightly. "And it keeps your hair away from your face." She looked suddenly shy. "Hey...Kagome? Can I tell you something?"

Kagome brightened. "Sure, what is it?" She knew already what it was, but oh well.

"Miroku and I... Well, we're sort of... courting." Sango said quietly, a blush covering her face.

"So I hear." Kagome smiled, then laughed. "It's soooo cute! I hope the best for you guys."

Sango looked at her, open mouthed for a moment, before laughing with her. "Thank you, Kagome." Oh yes, they would be a wonderful couple. Get married, have little Mirokus and Sangos running around. Kagome giggled at the thought, before worrying about Shippou again.

0-0-0-0-0

"Still no luck, Kaede?" Kagome's voice came from outside the hut. She sounded much less stressed than before, and there was a flush on her cheeks from the hot springs that made her look livelier.

Kaede shook her head. "I am sorry, Kagome."

Kagome sighed. And then something came to her. The only problem was finding him. "I'm going to meditate..." Kagome said, a little distantly. She hoped, that the one time she actually needed to see him, he would be there. But with her luck, he'd be on some trip to Norway. She snorted.

Standing instead of sitting on the wet ground, she closed her eyes and started to meditate. Sure enough, after fifteen minutes, nothing. She waited a little longer, and she heard the crunch of a foot on snow. Purposely, of course. "You didn't go to Norway, thank goodness!" After she realized what she'd said, she slapped a hand over her mouth.

Sesshoumaru simply raised an eyebrow. "Norway?"

She waved a hand in the air. "I wanted to thank you for the other day..." He stayed silent. "And I need to ask you a question."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru said quietly, turning his eyes away.

"Why would a full-blooded demon get sick?" Kagome's voice brought his eyes back. "And how do you treat it? It's been about two weeks, and he's not getting any better."

The demon lord contemplated her for a moment. Her hair was braided. "Symptoms?"

Kagome ticked them off on her fingers. "High fever, no appetite, puking, delusion, and lots of sleep."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow furrowed. He'd not heard of that before. Kagome stared at him, her concern burning into him. He stayed quiet a long time, pensive. His eyes were swirling golden pools of unknown emotions. "My healers may know what it is that ails your fox, but I cannot promise his life."

Kagome's eyes lit, and Sesshoumaru ignored the weird light feeling that fluttered through him. "Thank you. So much." She bowed at her waist.

"Hn." He turned away. "Bring him and your things tomorrow morning at dawn." She wondered how he knew it was Shippou that was sick. Then again, he was the only full demon she cared for.

0-0-0-0-0

Inuyasha could smell her. Just barely, but he could. "Kikyo." He murmured, his eyes filling with sadness. There was no way he was giving her up again. The past few weeks had been Hell for him. The snow not only made her scent hard to follow, but Kikyo seemed determined to keep him off her trail. She made false trails, back tracked, and tried to cover her scent by either traveling with a group of random people or putting a dead animal in her path. She knew he was following her. And it only made the hurt in him a little harder to bear.

End of Chapter 7 – Stupid Wolf

A/N – Alright, there was chapter 7, I hope you guys liked it and please RxR!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N – HI GUYS! :D It's really been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry for the long wait, and I hope this doesn't disappoint! Please, leave questions and reviews and favorites! :DDDDD Thank the erhu for this one guys. That and Usher, Linkin Park, and the Avatar: The Last Airbender soundtrack. XD. No joke. Anyways, I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters, otherwise... welll... yeah. XD. Don't own. Here you are! :) Heyy... uh... don't get worried, guys. The first part's just a warm up. XD.

Chapter 8 – Kick You Into Next Week!

_Every obnoxious act is a cry for help._

_- Zig Ziglar_

"Shippou? Shippou, sweetie, you need to wake up for a little bit." Kagome's voice woke the small fox child. She'd packed the things she would need, and strapping the bow to the side of the pack, and made sure it was light enough for long travel. Obviously, she would have to carry Shippou as well; he was far too weak to be walking anywhere.

"Momma?" Shippou's voice croaked from the blankets she had him wrapped in. The freezing air outside blew under the blanket that she'd used to cover the door, causing both to shiver.

She smiled slightly down at him. "It's alright. We're just going to travel with Sesshoumaru for a little while. He offered to help get you better, okay?" Kagome laid a hand on his forehead, worried at the constant dry heat that was radiating from him. "You can go back to sleep for a little bit, I'm going to let Kaede look after you until morning."

Even though she fretted when she left his side for a few moments, Kagome knew that she had to try and speak with the tree before she left. She'd already told her friends, and even though they were worried for her safety, they knew there was nothing that they could do to change her mind. Shippou meant the world to her, and to lose him would only further her solitude and her aloneness. They all had noticed it. She was suffering.

As Kagome walked to the tree, bundled up and still cold, she noticed that the sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly. _Almost the same color as Inuyasha's hair... No... More like... _An image of Sesshoumaru flew to her mind, stoic and cold and distant. He made gold seem as though it were ice.

Shaking her head, she kept walking to the tree through the forest, keeping her senses alert, and her muscles tense. She only relaxed when she reached the clearing, only to find she wasn't the only one there. "Kouga?" She blinked once, then twice, trying to make sure that he was actually standing there.

"Kagome?" His rough voice spun her back to a time when things weren't so confusing, a time when she knew that when she got home her family would be there. She gasped, then bit her lip as an onslaught of memories assailed her. Her vision blurred, and she leaned heavily on the tree next to her. "Kagome, are you alright?" He looked a little worn, truth be told. He stepped a few paces toward her, his teal eyes bright with concern.

"Uh-I'll be okay." She closed her eyes tightly. He was calmer, it seemed. She felt a light touch on her shoulder.

"Kagome. What's happened to you?" Kouga's voice was close, hovering near her.

She bit her lip harder, trying to hold her tears in. "My family. They're all dead." He brought back that memory. He brought back Inuyasha, her family, her pain, simply because she'd known him then.

Kouga's hand, rough but warm, rubbed her arm lightly. If he was shocked, he didn't show it, but instead tilted her chin up with his finger. "Kagome, look at me." She inhaled deeply, and opened her eyes. And just when she was about to panic that he was going to kiss her, he simply folded her into his arms, holding her close. "I know." He whispered.

Silently, knowing that she wouldn't ever want more than this, Kagome shed silent tears in the shelter of his arms. After a few minutes, Kagome pulled back, wiping the stray tears from her eyes and breathing softly. "Thank you." It was quiet, but the clearing was quieter.

"No problem, Kagome." Kouga smiled gently. "Why are you here?" He asked as he turned to face the tree, his hands behind his head.

Kagome laughed a little. "This is my village, remember?" She turned to the tree, admiring the way that the branches reached to the forest that surrounded the clearing.

"I wanted to see the tree. Legend says its really powerful." Kouga snorted unbelievingly. "But it's just a tree."

Kagome laughed. "Hm. We'll see about that." She knelt before it, placing her hand on the roots. The branches stirred almost imperceptibly. _Please, I need to ask you a few questions. _She opened aura to the tree, ignoring Kouga's gasp when he sensed her.

_Hello, young Kagome. _The tree's voice resonated through the clearing, and Kouga growled, dropping into a defensive stance. _And hello to you, Kouga. _The tree's ambiguous voice sounded somewhat amused. Kagome suddenly remembered the vision of Kouga proposing to her, and flinched.

"It... Talked!" He sputtered.

_That I did. Now, either leave, or remain silent. _It seemed amused; the branches of the tree swung down to brush his face.

_God-Tree, could you please tell me...will Shippou live? _Kagome asked.

The branches creaked and groaned. _Ah, young one, I cannot tell you. I can only give you visions, and even those are not definitive. I am sorry, but it is not my place. _

The tree's consciousness faded away, sweeping a few branches across her hair. Kagome hung her head. That tree was always so... the words escaped her, and she just sighed heavily. The only thing she could do for Shippou now was to make sure he reached Sesshoumaru's healers.

"Shippou's dying?" Kouga's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

She got to her feet and brushed herself off. "He might." Her eyes flashed the hollow pain that engulfed her when he family had died, and she turned from him as she walked out of the clearing.

Kouga seemed to be having trouble taking all of the information in. He caught up to her in three long strides, pensive for a moment. "Do you want me to help?"

"No, Kouga, but thank you. Sesshoumaru is taking Shippou and I to his healers tomorrow, to see if they can do anything." Kagome said, expecting an explosion.

"S-Sesshoumaru? You mean the evil, ice-man, psycho Sesshoumaru?" Kouga stuttered.

Kagome giggled a little. "i wouldn't call him evil or psychotic. He's saved me twice."

"Are you sure we're talking about the same demon here? I mean, there's gotta be a few Sesshoumarus out there." Kouga reasoned.

Kagome nodded, rolling her eyes. "I don't think there's another Sesshoumaru that has silver-white hair." She snorted. In the shadows of the forest, golden eyes peered at Kagome with such intensity that her scalp prickled.

0-0-0-0-0

Kouga left not too much later, saying that he had to get back to his pack, and that he'd visit her soon. As she laid her head on the pillow, she listened to Shippou's rough breathing, and worried. She worried if Shippou would live. She worried about Inuyasha. She worried about spending time with Sesshoumaru. Nothing seemed right anymore. The more she thought about Shippou, the more worried she became. She hoped, with all her heart, that there was a way to make him better again. The last thing she did before she went to sleep was clean the blood from under Shippou's nose, feeling helpless and scared. The woman who had carried the Shikon jewel, who had fought off more demons than she could count, was deathly afraid.

She woke twice in the night screaming, and then when she finally fell into a deep sleep...

"Wake up, Kagome. It's time to get up." Kaede's raspy voice woke her from slumber. The sun had just risen, and Kaede was bright and shining. As usual. Kagome sighed heavily before her anxiety at the coming day found her. She leaned over to check on Shippou, who was sleeping lightly, his ragged breath loud in the small room. She dabbed a cloth on his forehead to wipe the sweat off his brow, her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Gah! I need to get going! Bye, Kaede !" She cursed under her breath as she hurried to get dressed. Four minutes and twenty-six seconds later, she was heading out the door with her pack slung over her shoulder, Shippou in her left arm, and trying to tie up her boot with the other. As soon as the boot was tied, she began a brisk walk, making sure that Shippou wasn't cold. He was lucid, often murmuring things in his sleep that sounded like nightmares.

"Good luck, Kagome! And be safe!" Kaede called as Kagome walked out of the village.

0-0-0-0-0

"You are late." Kagome jumped at the deep rumble of his voice, which was colored with his displeasure. He stood at the edge of the clearing, his eyes impassive.

"No, it's still dawn, isn't it?" She asked, genuinely confused.

He turned, his hair following with a light swish. "'Dawn' means precisely when the sun breaches the horizon."

Kagome snorted, then blinked when Sesshoumaru's hard gaze collided with hers. "Hn." He started walking out of the clearing, heading west. Kagome followed, her steps much louder than his. She sighed. _This is going to be weird. _She thought.

"So.. How far away is your home?" Kagome's asked a few minutes later, desperate to break the silence with something other than the sound of Shippou's breathing.

She was walking beside him, staring at him as she waited for an answer. It seemed he never even blinked, but there was the hint of a shadow under his eyes. "My castle is located about a three day walk away from here."

"What does is look like?" Her question was born simply out of curiosity. She shifted her arms a bit, her black hair sliding behind her shoulders.

"You shall see when we get there." Still no emotion whatsoever. Kagome huffed.

The next twenty minutes were spent in silence. Sesshoumaru not only felt the everlasting confusion at the woman walking next to him, but now he would have to walk with her for the next three days. If the first eight minutes annoyed him, then this day was going to give him a headache. He remembered hearing her last night, with the wolf prince. She'd finally allowed her tears to fall, but his damned curiosity hadn't been sated. Maybe it was knowing she was different, but his conscious brain would not recognize her as such. So he kept pondering, not sleeping, and observing her. His dream of her only exacerbated his annoyance. Could he call it that?

The forest, which had closed over them earlier, opened up to a smaller clearing, where a greenish brown, two headed dragon lay, basking in the morning sun. Rin lay curled against it's stomach, sleeping soundly, and Jaken was hunched over a fire, muttering to himself. "You have a two headed dragon?" Kagome asked as she walked towards him cautiously. Ah-Un blinked, about to hiss at the intruder, relaxed when Sesshoumaru shook his head in the slightest.

"Obviously." Was his only response. He strode over to Rin and gently grasped her shoulder, shaking her a bit.

Her large brown eyes opened. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" She exclaimed before launching herself at his leg, hugging him tightly. Kagome was shocked first, then amused. She stifled a laugh with her hand, trying to look away. Sesshoumaru glared. "Kagome!" The little girl yelled before hugging both of her legs, talking about how great it would be to spend time with her. Kagome only smiled, keeping careful hold of Shippou. Jaken, throughout this time, had been telling Sesshoumaru how well he had been taking care of Rin. Ah-Un stood with a great whoosh of air from his lungs, seemingly exasperated already.

Kagome was surprised at how... energetic this small group was, despite Sesshoumaru's behavior. Rin was like a sun. A bouncing, six year old, silly, sun. To watch Sesshoumaru, who had rent the head of a demon from its shoulders with one sweep, now showed he could be gentle. Kagome smiled softly.

"Jaken. Pack everything. We are leaving." Sesshoumaru ordered. The little toad jumped at his request, bustling to comply. Within ten minutes, the camp was no more, and packed onto Ah-Un's saddle. "Rin, find your warm jacket." She laughed and giggled while she did, still talking to Kagome continuously. Kagome smiled. "You may place your fox demon on Ah-Un's saddle." She glanced down at Shippou, who was still sleeping, his fever had yet to go down at all. He coughed, but the sound was so sick it was hard to listen to.

"How do I.. secure him?" Kagome snorted mentally; Ah-Un was like a present time minivan.

Sesshoumaru appeared behind her, his towering form casting a shadow over her. She squeaked, but didn't move as his clawed hands worked deftly at the straps, securing Shippou gently but with a firmness that Kagome knew was sound. "Hn." He murmured, glancing down at her before he pivoted on his heel and walked the other way. He'd heard her heartbeat increase as he stood behind her, but he smelled no fear, just surprise.

"Thank you." Kagome said softly, a flush on her cheeks from his close proximity. She mentally shook herself, bending to re-tie her knee high boots. Rin climbed up onto Ah-Un and sat just behind Shippou. "Rin, be careful around him, he's sick. You don't need to get sick too, sweetie." Kagome warned.

Sesshoumaru watched them silently. He hadn't realized that while she was not short, she wasn't very tall either. When he stood behind her, she barely reached his shoulder. "It is no worry. I do not believe that humans contract demon sicknesses." Sesshoumaru said, his gold eyes meeting hers for a split second. Then he looked away. "Ah-Un." The two headed dragon started walking, leading them into the forest. Kagome shoved her hands into her pockets and tried to keep them warm, walking a distance away from Sesshoumaru, but keeping a close eye on Shippou. Once or twice she caught herself staring at Sesshoumaru's hair, but she quickly looked the other way, annoyed. _How can he not have any split ends whatsoever? That's not even cool. _Kagome huffed, walking alongside Ah-Un, who nosed her in the arm once, as if to comfort her. She glanced at it in surprise, but the dragon only nosed her again, as if it wanted her to pet it. She ran her hand along the scales on its neck, which were surprisingly smooth. Kagome gave a small smile. It was somewhat comforting.

"How did you find a two headed dragon?" Kagome asked as she petted Ah-Un.

Sesshoumaru took a glance her way. "He came to my family, many years ago." Ah-Un usually didn't warm up to people that quickly. Sixty years ago, the dragon had wandered onto the property, and never left.

"Oh. He's sweet." Kagome smiled at Ah-Un, who seemed to soak the compliment up. Rin giggled brightly, her laugh echoing. "Have you ever been to Sesshoumaru's home, Rin?"

"Yes! It was really fun. He has a castle! But I get lost in it sometimes. And there are really pretty flowers there!" She seemed downright ecstatic that they were going to his... castle. Once she thought about it, could you expect less from Sesshoumaru? A giant castle in the heart of the Western Lands. Kagome mentally face palmed. This sounded cheesy already.

Sesshoumaru shot her a glare as Rin talked on and on about the castle for the next fifteen minutes. _Oh. That's why he's glaring. She really has a hard time not talking. _Kagome giggled, pleased to have a response from him. Jaken, however mumbling to himself, stayed quiet. Even though he would glare at Kagome every few minutes; she'd send them right back. It almost reminded her of fighting with Inuyasha.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, her mind wandering. He almost hissed at her informality around him. "Do you know where Inuyasha is?"

"If I knew where that half-breed was," He almost sneered as his lip curled upwards, "he would wish that I didn't." His gold eyes swept over her quickly, and Kagome blinked at his quick anger. "Is he not with the clay priestess?" Kagome blinked again. That was the first time he'd asked her a question that seemed to derive from his curiosity.

"I don't think so. She left a day before he did." Her vision passed through her mind, the one of Kikyo agreeing to that... thing's... demands. She shuddered.

His eyes passed over her again before he looked away. He remembered the visions as well, as much as he'd like not to. The last one disturbed him the most. Not because she was there, but because he seemed to be okay with it.

0-0-0-0-0

The next few hours were spent in silence, until Rin complained about being hungry. The group stopped, ate, then kept moving. Kagome watched Sesshoumaru, but he never once ate anything. She thought he must eat later or something. He stayed silent for the next three hours, when it started to get dark. Rin had fallen asleep about an hour ago, snoozing softly on Ah-Un. "We stop here." The tone of his voice brought no argument. Kagome found herself nose-to-chest with him, having been engrossed in her thoughts. She could have walked into an iron wall for all it mattered.

"Umph!" Kagome lost her balance, but before her butt said hello to the ground, she felt Sesshoumaru's hand splayed against the small of her back. He was bent forward slightly so that their foreheads almost touched, his hair creating a curtain around them. His golden eyes bore straight into hers, never faltering. He could smell her sweet rain and vanilla scent, hear her quickened heartbeat, feel her warmth. Kagome was barely breathing, but her heart was beating fast. He smelled like clouds, like thunder, like unbridled power. He wasn't breathing either. As soon as it had happened, it was over. Kagome found her self standing alone, and Sesshoumaru five feet away with his back turned to her. "Jaken. Start a fire." Then he left.

Kagome blinked. Just to make sure that had actually happened. She didn't even know what you would call... that. Just keeping her from falling? Shaking the thoughts from her head, she began brewing a tea that would reduce any pain Shippou felt. Pulling out a calendar, she marked off the date, and saw that she had about a month and a half until she had to go back again to wait for Souta. She grimaced.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru stalked through the forest angrily. The stars were just coming out, shedding fractured light through the heavy pines that surrounded him. _Why did I aid her? _He knew he should have let her fall, but in the split second that she had bumped into him, it just seemed natural to catch her. _But why? Why was it natural? _His mind wandered as he did, farther away from the small camp that Jaken had set up. He could smell the tea she was heating, a pain reducer, if he remembered correctly. The darkness of the forest around him intensified with the hour, but he didn't pay it any mind. He leaped into a nearby tree to see the sky. When he returned to the camp, they were all asleep except Ah-Un. Kagome, having situated herself further from the group, was murmuring in her sleep.

As he neared her, he understood her words. "Souta... Please." She whimpered, fear and pain colliding in her voice. She cringed, her fear turning to terror. And then, Sesshoumaru winced; she'd let out a bloodcurdling scream, her eyes flipping wide and sitting straight up, a dagger in one hand. Sesshoumaru knelt next to her, placing a finger over his lips. It took her a moment, but then she recognized him. "Sesshoumaru?" Kagome whispered.

He took the knife from her hands, noticing how cold they were. "Silence. You were screaming." She seemed to calm slightly after that, though her fingers still shook. Jaken and Ah-Un were on full alert, but the children were still sound asleep. "You should sleep near Ah-Un. He is warmer." Sesshoumaru said quietly, straightening. Kagome, seemingly in a haze, did as Sesshoumaru suggested. Ah-Un curled himself around her and the children, his heads resting on Kagome's legs. Sesshoumaru settled himself near a tree, where he could see the whole area well. "You may sleep, Ah-Un." The dragon huffed. Sesshoumaru stayed awake the rest of the night, watching over the group. He knew that he hadn't slept in over a week, but it was no problem as of yet. He would wait until he was at his castle. Besides, he was sure that even if he tried to sleep now, he would have more dreams like the last one he had. Which was never a good thing if he didn't want to be confused. At least, more than he was now.

His eyes wandered to _her. _Kagome's head rested against Ah-Un's warm belly, her black hair pushed over one shoulder. He knew that she was sleeping soundly, her heartbeat was slow and even. The light of the moon above shone on her face, illuminating her pale skin and dark hair. _Why is she such a curiosity to me? _

The sun, rising over the horizon, woke Kagome. She stretched, then yawned and sat up. Sesshoumaru's eyes landed on her, and she instantly looked away. "Um. Thank you. For last night."

"Hn." His eyes seemed to graze over her mussed hair, a flash of amusement taking hold before he turned his attention elsewhere.

Kagome instantly put her hands to her hair nervously, and of course, it was in complete disarray. Grumbling to herself, she yanked her brush out and worked all the knots out, then got up to start making some breakfast. "Would you like any?" She asked. Sesshoumaru glanced at her, his eyes blank, and one of his eyebrows raised. "I'll take that as a no then." She rolled her eyes and went back to her cooking. The scents woke Rin and Shippou, but Sesshoumaru had to kick Jaken to wake him up. Rin's child laugh rang in the air. Kagome face palmed.

After breakfast, Kagome talked to Shippou for a little while, made sure he was comfortable, and then they were walking again. It was cold, colder than she thought it would be, and light gray clouds had gathered overnight, bringing the chance of snow with it. "Sesshoumaru, do you think it will snow?"

His eyes were as cold as the air when he glanced at her. "Yes."

"Shoot." Kagome muttered.

"I was under the impression you liked snow?" He said, one brow raised.

Kagome met his eyes, tilting her head slightly. "I do... But not when Shippou is sick the way he is."

Sesshoumaru turned and kept walking. Jaken shot a glare at her. "Alright, you little monster." Kagome growled, grabbing him by his clothes and taking his staff. "I've noticed all those little dirty glares you've been shooting me. Either you stop and be a good boy, or I pulverize you." She shook him, her voice fierce. It really had been annoying her. "Got it?"

Sesshoumaru had stopped to watch her, something akin to amusement in his eyes. "I will never listen to the likes of you, you filthy human! Lord Sesshoumaru, help me!" Sesshoumaru didn't move.

Kagome dropped him, flipped the staff around, and knocked him over the head. "I didn't hear you. Got it?" She asked louder. "And I swear, if you ever refer to me as 'filthy human' again, I'll kick you into next week!"

The little toad relented, and Kagome dropped the staff, hitting him on the head in the process. Sesshoumaru regarded her for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Kagome felt his eyes on her, and turned to see him, the ghost of a smirk on his face, and something else in his eyes she couldn't recognize. She flashed him a bright smile before checking on Shippou again. Sesshoumaru blinked, erasing the emotion from his face. It had been something he'd trained himself to do since he was a young man. Emotions were a weakness, and if you showed weakness, you were killed. He started walking, and the rest of the group followed, Jaken albeit grudgingly.

Silence that followed in the next fifteen minutes were increasingly awkward for Kagome. She wanted to make conversation, to talk to Sesshoumaru, but he always seemed so dispassionate and uncaring. Like anything anyone said to him didn't really matter unless he was directly involved. She snorted to herself, rolling her eyes. _Makes him sound a little selfish, doesn't it, Kagome. _She thought to herself. He walked in the front of the group, a few feet ahead of Ah-Un, and Kagome walked behind Jaken, keeping her eyes on him. _Really, how does someone have no split ends anywhere? _She ran a self conscious hand through her locks, surprised at how long they had become. _Ew... I need a bath. _She wondered if there would be any hot springs nearby by the time they camped. Her eyes wandered back to Sesshoumaru. He had to be at least six foot four. He absolutely towered over her. She remembered the day before, when he stood behind her, she could practically feel his presence next to her. As far as she knew, he'd never gotten that close to anyone, besides Rin, and people he was trying to kill. _Oh. Great. _Kagome thought, _He's going to kill me. But what about... _the vision of her talking to him like they were on good terms flashed through her head. "They are only visions, though..." She murmured to herself, still lost in her thoughts.

Sesshoumaru heard her words, and was, to say the least, interested. Was she talking about the visions they had shared at the tree? He remembered seeing her the other night with the wolf prince. He didn't think that they were courting, but the matter wasn't his to ponder, he reasoned. So why, in the visions, was he so bothered by the wolf prince's proposal? _It must be some sort of effect of the tree, or seeing the visions themselves. _Satisfied with the logical explanation, he brushed the thought off of his brain, but the image of her in his arms kept flashing back into his brain.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked. He tilted his head a fraction of an inch in her direction. "Is it really going to snow?'

"You doubt my senses?" Sesshoumaru responded coolly.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "It just doesn't seem like it's going to snow, that's all."

"Look again." The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

She glanced around them, and saw tiny flakes falling all around them in flurries. She hurried over to Shippou and pulled his head up. "Momma?"

"Yes, baby. It's okay, I'm right here. I'm just gonna pull your hood up, so you don't get snow all over you. I love you." Kagome kissed his forehead before he slipped back into unconsciousness. When she turned back, she saw Sesshoumaru watching her, fixing her with his icy gaze. He didn't seem like he was being apathetic, just curious. "What?" She muttered, unsettled. He turned back.

The snow continued to fall throughout the rest of the day, chilling Kagome to the bone. She couldn't wait to make camp and find herself a hot spring. When darkness fell, and Sesshoumaru said it was time to stop, Kagome immediately started a fire, even though it was Jaken's job. Ah-Un curled up near it, and she moved the sleeping children to lay against his belly. "Do you know if there are any hot springs nearby?"

Sesshoumaru looked almost surprised at her question. "I believe there is one not far from here. Why?"

"I need a bath. Do you think you could take me there please?" Kagome asked, glancing at his eyes once, but then avoiding them.

If he seemed surprised by her request, he didn't show it. "Very well. Ah-Un?" The dragon just nodded one of its heads. Sesshoumaru met her eyes for a moment, then turned and led them into the forest. Everything was so silent, the snow having muffled most of the noise.

"Thank you, again." Kagome said softly. "You know, you're not as mean as people say you are." She murmured quietly. She knew he could hear her.

"Hm." Sesshoumaru kept walking, his footfalls not making any noise at all, while her boots crunched through the snow loudly. She carried her bag of toiletries with her. Once that she thought about it, he really wasn't as mean as people thought. He didn't needlessly insult people, he was sensitive to Rin's needs, and always made sure she was cared for. And he'd saved her twice. Gratitude toward him welled in her.

Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, and Kagome had trouble stopping in time behind him. "Here. I will be in the forest when you are finished." She peeked around him to see a steaming hot spring, practically calling her name. "Thank you!" She exclaimed. She smiled at him, truly grateful. He nodded slightly, and then he was gone, just vanished. Kagome blinked; she'd never realized how fast he could really be. Turning toward the spring, she stripped, then sunk into the water, sighing heavily. The hot water soothed her tired nerves and allowed her to relax. The sky above her was dark, but the snow had stopped falling for now. Her relaxation lasted only so long. She had to return to Shippou soon, to check on him. Though she doubted that Sesshoumaru or Ah-Un would let anything happen to the little fox, she always got nervous when she wasn't near him. If he wasn't sick, it wouldn't be that bad. _Alas... _She thought sarcastically as she rose from the water and dried off quickly, rubbing her hair with the towel to dry it, so it didn't freeze.

"Sesshoumaru?" She called softly into the darkness. She felt for his aura, then found something bad. _Really bad. _She thought. A boar came crashing through the trees, snorting and squealing. It's eyes glowed red. Cursing loudly, she reached for her bow, but only found her quiver. She'd left it at the campsite.. The boar started to charge her, so she reached for the only thing she could; an arrow. Funneling her energy into it quickly, not focusing too well. Just before it reached her, she sidestepped and jabbed the arrow into its flesh. It slowed for a moment, squealing it's pain. But it slowly returned to it's feet, preparing for another charge. "Damn!"

Grabbing another arrow, she charged it, this time with more focus, and started climbing the tree closest to her. Once she was at least fifteen feet off the ground, she looked back down to see the boar ramming the tree. Knowing she only had a few more seconds, she closed her eyes and pushed as much energy into it as she could without breaking it. And then she tossed it. An explosion of light shattered the air when it came into contact with the boar, sending a shock wave hard enough to knock the already loosened tree over. Kagome screamed as it hit the ground, her upper right arm trapped under a branch. She was _so _going to have bruises. "Sesshoumaru!" She made sure her voice was louder. Not half a second later, she saw a flash of silver and heard a loud crack as the branch holding her arm was ripped away. His gold eyes stared down at her for a moment before he slipped his arms under her and lifted her up. She made a noise when he jostled her right arm; then he put her down on the rocks near the springs.

"Are you alright?" His voice seemed quieter, more reserved that usual.

"Just a little shaken... My right arm hurts, but I think it's just bruised." Kagome said, her voice soft."Where were you?"

He surveyed her for what seemed like a long time, his amber-gold eyes almost glowing in the darkness. Then he reached for her arm. "Further than was necessary." His eyes left hers as he focused on her arm. "Remove your jacket."

She slid the fabric down her arm just to her elbow. His clawed fingers gently squeezed her arm, moving upward until she hissed and jerked in his grip. He grasped her bare shoulder to keep her in place, and they both held their breath for a moment. The shudder that had passed through Kagome traveled into Sesshoumaru, who paused in his movements, closing his eyes for a split second. Then he kept gently squeezing her arm to make sure there weren't any breaks. Kagome whimpered twice, he eyes closed tightly. "It is not broken." His warm, clawed hands left her arm, his eyes returning to stoic.

Kagome caught his sleeve with her hand before he turned away. "Thank you."

Sesshoumaru stayed silent for a while. Just when she thought he wasn't going to answer, he simply said, "You're welcome." Something changed then.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome woke the next morning wanting to talk to the tree. "Aghh..." She'd slept on her back last night, which she never did. So she was sore. "How much longer until we reach your castle?"

He stood at the edge of the clearing, looking colder than usual. "A few hours."

"Really?" Kagome asked.

Sesshoumaru just turned to kick Jaken awake, so that he could clean up the campsite. As she stared at him, she caught his eyes for a moment. Then he walked out of the clearing. Kagome blinked. He left. Again. Last night had sure done a number on her, and not just physically. She felt a prickling of resentment at his leaving, which she shouldn't, because he was Sesshoumaru,right? Right. She nodded, clearing her brain as she tended to Shippou and let Rin play with her hair. Today, Shippou might start getting better. And that was all she focused on.

End of Chapter 8 – Kick You Into Next Week!

A/N – I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I thought it was alright, but anyway. Read and review pleases! :DDD plus whatever thing you like to do.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N – I really don't like 'My Sanctuary' right now. The plot's bugging my. And I think I screwed that last chapter that I posted. :/ Well, I hope you guys enjoyed last chapter! :D Here's the next one, and thanks so much for all the reviews and shtuff! :DD I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the plot, which I thought up in the shower one morning. XD Anyway, inspiration for writing this chapter is thanks to Kingdom Hearts 2. Without the soundtrack I would die. XD Oh, and can I say you guys are so awesome you make me want to sing seventies music while dancing in the street.

Chapter 9 – Until You Can't Have Babies!

"_That last bit of light is_

_always the hardest to snuff out."_

_-Sephiroth._

Sesshoumaru knew that she was just a human. So why was she affecting him? He shook his head and tried to clear it. In any case, he wanted to make it stop as much as he could. He didn't need any distractions. Nor did he want them... Right? Right. He came back to his surroundings and noticed he was pacing. The tree next to him fell half a second later, the poison from his claws already dissolving the bark. A rumble reverberated through the clearing as he growled at himself.

Flicking the poison off his claws, he returned his face to an impassive mask, then began to walk back to the campsite. He found them packing their things. Jaken and Rin were bickering, and Kagome looked as though she was going to kill the little toad. She secured Shippou and while she was bending over to retie her boots, she noticed him standing. She glanced at him, then quickly averted her eyes and kept retying her boots. Sesshoumaru noted the light flush on her cheeks, but thought nothing of it. He remembered that last night another one of her nightmares had plagued her, and she'd woken screaming. He'd wondered what could possibly make her dream things that would cause that sort of reaction.

Ah-Un snorted, his way of telling Sesshoumaru he was ready. Sesshoumaru blinked, and Ah-Un began walking. Rin was unusually hyper this morning, running around Kagome's feet and chucking little snowballs at her. Kagome laughed, high and clear, and Sesshoumaru almost stopped to listen. But, he shoved the thought away and kept walking. Kagome picked up some snow and tossed it in the air, letting it shower down on Rin's head. The little girl giggled, and ran over to hug Kagome's legs. Kagome smiled softly, a sad light in her eyes. She wished Shippou was feeling better; Rin and Shippou would be good friends together. The journey fell quiet for a while, with just the sound of Kagome speaking quietly to Rin about how the little girl loved that Kagome was with them, because Jaken never wanted to do anything fun, and Lord Sesshoumaru was always too quiet. Kagome giggled slightly, earning a confused look from Jaken.

Once they had been walking for a long while, Rin exclaimed, "Look, Kagome, there's Sesshoumaru's castle!" Rin squealed as they came out from the trees; as the sight unfolded before her, all Kagome could do was stare. There, settled at the base of a mountain, was Sesshoumaru's castle. It was enormous; a large traditional Japanese building made up the center, while smaller outbuildings surrounded it, and a large field spread out in front of it made up his front yard. It was all covered in a dusting of snow.

"Wow." Kagome said quietly, marveling at the size. Just then, something landed on her cheek. She grabbed it, staring at it as it wiggled between her fingers. "Myouga?"

"Kagome, what on earth are you doing here?" The little flea asked as Kagome set him in the palm of her hand.

"I'm here to see if Sesshoumaru's healers can do anything to help Shippou." She gestured toward Shippou, who was bundled up in blankets.

"Myouga." Sesshoumaru's voice interrupted whatever he was going to say next. "Have you done what was asked of you?"

The flea's demeanor changed quickly, and he looked afraid. "Yes, I have, now if you'll excuse me, I must be off!" Then Myouga was gone, bouncing away. Sesshoumaru looked irritated.

"Let us keep moving." He said, then began walking away in the direction of his castle. Kagome was a little bemused by Myouga's quick leave, but that flea was afraid of everything, and Sesshoumaru was no exception. He could be considered the reason. Kagome rolled her eyes to herself and kept walking.

As they entered the premises, a servant seemed to appear out of nowhere. He bowed low, his eyes landing on Kagome for a moment in curiosity. "Lord Sesshoumaru. Is there anything you need?"

"Take the priestess to the healers. Her fox demon is sick." The servant's eyes widened. _A priestess? Has the Lord gone mad? _He bowed again, his cropped black hair falling forward.

"Please, young priestess, follow me." He said, gesturing to the main building.

Kagome smiled, taking Shippou from the saddle. When she looked around, Sesshoumaru was gone. Another servant, a young woman this time, had come to get Rin. She seemed delighted with the job, giving Rin a huge hug before taking her by the hand and heading toward one of the outbuildings. "Oh, just call me Kagome."

The servant turned, his eyes inquisitive. "Kagome? As in, the woman that held the Shikon Jewel?"

She smiled again, happy that she wasn't known as Kikyo for once. She was just... Kagome. "Yes. Thank you."

"Wow. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miss." He smiled, slightly bowing. "I'm Kenshin."

Kagome nodded slightly, a smile gracing her face. "Nice to meet you."

They walked over to the building, but by this time, Kagome's legs were so sore from all of the walking, she wanted to just sleep. "Just tell the healers what is wrong with him, then they will examine him. Have you any injuries?" He asked as he opened the door for her, then led her down the hallway to a door on the right.

"Um, my arm is bruised, but that will heal in time." Kagome said, noticing the strain on her right arm as she held Shippou.

Kenshin nodded. "Here you are."

Inside the room, a few demon women, all beautiful in their own respects, looked up as she walked in. She felt somewhat inadequate, tired and dirty as she was. The first woman came forward, her bright green eyes welcoming. "Well, what have we here?" She glanced down at Shippou, whose face was pale as death. "Oh, my, my." She reminded Kagome of a grandmother. She reached her hands out. "May I?"

Kagome nodded weakly, a little overcome at the fact that she was actually there. "Of course."

"What are some of his symptoms?" The matronly woman asked, setting him down on a raised bed, then unwrapped him from the blankets.

"High fever, he doesn't eat, vomiting, sometimes a bloody nose, delusion, and he sleeps almost all day." The woman glanced at Kagome sharply.

"Mao, go find the book, please." Another woman, one with silver-purple hair and brown eyes, rushed into a separate room. "Ran, please go and brew some ginseng tea for the time being." The second woman looked opposite; her hair was brown and her eyes were silvery-purple.

"Here, sit down. You look exhausted." The woman led to her to a small couch, where Kagome sat and instantly fell in love with it. It was amazingly comfortable compared to the ground she'd been sleeping on lately. Her eyelids felt heavy already. "Sleep, we will wake you once we know anything." Kagome only nodded, taking one last glance at Shippou's body before her eyelids slipped shut.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru sighed heavily as he walked his quarters. It was... a comfort to be back in his own rooms. He removed his armor and set it in it's designated place, then went to his bed and sat on the edge. He leaned forward, his face in his hands as he tried to relax himself. It had been almost two weeks since he'd slept, but even though he could go a lot longer without sleep, the last few weeks had confused him. As he leaned back onto his bed, he sighed again, and closed his eyes, not bothering to sleep under the sheets.

_Her black hair was spread around her, the waving locks looking like shadow. She lay on his bed, tangled in navy blue silk sheets that left little to the imagination. She was asleep, her soft breathing proof of it. "Sesshoumaru?" She murmured, seeming uncomfortable. His body walked to the bed, and caressed her skin, from her shoulder to her hip. She shivered, her eyes blinking open blearily. "Sesshoumaru." _

_ He made a soft noise in his throat, then laid down next to her, pulling her to his body. She curled into him, her face at the crook of his neck. "Kagome..." He said softly, resting his chin on the crown of her head. His fingers rubbed soothing circles on her back as he inhaled her scent, glancing down once to see the small crescent moon on her neck. He rumbled low in his throat with contentment, and kissed her hair while she slept in his arms..._

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome awoke almost an hour later, when the healers had found the cure for Shippou's illness. "You've found it?"

"Just about. Why don't you walk around for a little while. I'll have Kenshin find you when we have it." The head healer, whose name, Kagome now knew, was Ayako, gently pushed her out the door into a lantern lit hallway. She blinked, then took a few steps down the hall, wondering which way was out. Everything was warm and inviting, which seemed just a small contradiction when compared to Sesshoumaru's personality. It wasn't cold, despite the weather outside. Taking a turn, she wandered for a few minutes, finding herself only more lost. She came to one more turn, and took a left. At the end of the hallway, was a large painting of a snow-white dog, rearing on it's hind legs. Kagome gasped. Inuyasha was right. That symbol was the symbol of Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's father. Walking to the painting, she realized it was actually a door. She pulled the door open slowly, curiosity getting the best of her.

The room was covered in blues, golds, and whites. It was beautiful. But what surprised her most was the corner of a bed she saw, situated in an adjacent room. She walked slow, hoping she wasn't going to catch anyone sleeping. But she did. There, lying on his back, with his silver hair fanned about him and dead asleep, was Sesshoumaru. She couldn't even hear his breathing. His face, devoid of any negative emotion for now, looked peaceful. She saw his chest rise and fall slowly, and noticed his armor was gone. It made him look a little less threatening, she mused. Absently, she wondered why he hadn't noticed her. After all, he was the great Sesshoumaru. _But I guess... Even people like him get tired sometimes. _She smiled slightly, gratitude welling in her. "Thank you..." She murmured softly, before turning and leaving as quietly as she could.

Kenshin appeared then, seeing her wandering down the hallways, looking lost. "Miss Kagome, I believe the healers have found the proper remedy."

Kagome nodded, then sighed in relief. "Shall we?" She gestured down the hallway.

"If you insist, but that leads to the kitchen." His silver eyes sparkled mischievously.

Kagome laughed, and the sound rang throughout the halls. "I'll just follow you then."

A few moments later, they were in the healers' room. Ayako welcomed her in and shooed Kenshin out. "Though we've the remedy for healing your young fox, we have only a small amount of it. Enough to strengthen him for the time being, but it will eventually wear off. If he is to survive this, we must have more of this plant." Ayako held up a tiny leaf, almost purple in color, and shaped like a spade.

"I'll get it. Just tell me where to look." Kagome said, a firmness in her voice even she hadn't heard in a long time. Ayako didn't seem surprised by Kagome's decision; she smiled softly.

"Not far from here, you just have to go up the mountain a bit. It grows under trees, mostly." The matronly woman said. "We shall keep watch over him for now." Kagome grabbed her thick jacket, which she'd left on the couch nearby earlier, and bundled herself up. It was a going into early afternoon, but with the days as short as they were, she wouldn't have much sunlight left. She kissed Shippou on the head before she left the room, finding Kenshin just outside the door.

"Take Ah-Un." Kenshin suggested. He liked her, she could care less about formalities, and she was kind as well.

Kagome nodded. "Sounds good. He can fly, right?"

"Yep." Kenshin smiled, and began leading them down through the maze of corridors. Kagome let her mind wander slightly. She was going to be riding a flying lizard in the snow to find purple leaves. Oh, and the lizard, or dragon, had two heads. She snorted, and Kenshin glanced back at her in question.

"Nothing, just thinking about how weird it sounds to be riding a two headed dragon in the snow." She rolled her eyes, and Kenshin laughed.

Ah-Un was already waiting for them, stamping in the snow impatiently. Kagome got on, but not without a little of Kenshin's help. After Kagome situated herself in the saddle, Kenshin asked, "Are you ready for this?"

"No, but-" Kagome was cut off as Kenshin gave Ah-Un a light slap, and then the two headed dragon was in the air. Kagome screamed at first, but once she got used to it, she started to like it. The castle disappeared behind her as Ah-Un flew toward the mountain, flying low, but above the trees. His muzzles, which were usually on, were gone for now, and the fangs that were poking out of his mouth would scare off most any predator. Kagome scanned the ground under the trees, thankfully, no snow had fallen on it yet. After flying for a while, she decided that she wouldn't find much while they flew, she guided Ah-Un's reins down toward the ground. Kagome glanced at the horizon and saw an orange glow through the clouds, signifying sunset. Kneeling down, she began searching, while Ah-Un kept an eye out for any sort of danger.

0-0-0-0-0

When Sesshoumaru woke, he noticed it was starting to get dark. But that wasn't the first thing that came to his mind. His dream came flashing back to him, and he sat for a moment, a little disoriented. What only furthered his slight confusion was the presence of her scent in his room, not five feet from his bed. _Why hadn't I woken? She's obviously not that quiet. _The dream came back to him then, the feel of her in his arms. He ran a hand through his hair as he pondered the situation, a little agitated. He let his senses roam out of habit as a security method, unaccustomed to not having each person of his group in his direct vision. He could sense Rin, Jaken, and the fox, Shippou, but she was gone. Nowhere on the premises. Neither was Ah-Un. It seemed she'd left almost an hour ago, judging by her scent. And she was riding Ah-Un. Replacing his armor, he strode out of his room, catching one of his servants, Kenshin, along the way. "Where is the priestess?" His voice seemed almost threatening in the corridor.

Kenshin bowed, then answered. "She has left, to find a certain plant that her fox requires, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Hn." Snow had started to fall again. _If they are not back before nightfall, I will find them. _He thought to himself, before heading to his study, where loads of papers awaited him. The papers always irritated him, truth be told. He sighed to himself as he got to work, signing, reading over treaties, news that had occurred in the past and more importantly, the death of his counsel member. It seemed there was no evidence, once the man had been found, the scent of the attacker was much too faded to track. He glared at the paper. One of his older counsel members, too. Soon he would have to call a meeting for them to restore order, and advise them to place more guards around themselves.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome was cold. Colder than she'd been the night of the snow. Ah-Un still stood nearby, watching the area closely. He seemed uncomfortable, and kept shifting from foot to foot, glancing at the forest. The sun had long since settled behind the horizon, and Kagome was beginning to wonder if Ayako had sent her on a wild goose chase. Worry for Shippou came back, with more force than usual, and she steeled herself, willing to look all night if she had to. _If this is what it takes for him to live, I'll do it. _She thought solemnly, and began looking for the plant again with renewed vigor. Ah-Un suddenly pawed at the ground near him, staring pointedly at Kagome.

"What?" She asked, then realized she was talking to a two headed dragon. She mentally face palmed, then walked over to where the dragon was standing. Sure enough, just in front of his feet, a small patch of the purple leaves grew. "Ah-Un! You're a genius!" She hugged the dragon around his necks, kissed his noses, then bent to pick the plant, elation warming her cold fingers. Her heart swelled, and relief so strong that she almost fell over crashed into her. Just then, Ah-Un let out a hiss that sent a chill down her spine. Kagome straightened, shoving the plant into Ah-Un's saddle bags before reaching for her bow. Notching an arrow, she stared out into the forest. "I did _not _come this far just to get killed by some stupid demon." She grumbled, holding the point of her arrow down. But what crashed into the area caught her totally off guard.

"Kagome?"

0-0-0-0-0

_Stupid bitch says everything is 'going according to plan', my ass. _Kikyo thought as she trudged through the snow of the high mountains, heading west. Even though she didn't like demons, she wasn't about to go on a killing rampage and destroy them all. They had the right to live; and she knew what her so-called 'Master' was doing was wrong. Of course, the bloodthirsty demons, whose minds were consumed with the pleasure of the kill, the taste of blood, attacked because it was their nature. When protective instinct took over, killing those demons was all but inevitable. They wouldn't stop until they died. But it seemed that was not all that Kikyo's 'Master' had planned. Kikyo remembered, disgusted, at what she'd said...

_"For this world to be... perfect." She laughed, hysterical. Her red eyes glowed. "We must eliminate all demons. I don't care if they're young or old. They must perish." The chill in her voice made Kikyo shudder._

_ Kikyo, her head still bowed, risked a glance upward. "But why choose me?" _

_ The woman hissed, and once again, Kikyo wondered if __**she **__was even human. Surely no normal human would have red eyes, especially glowing ones. "You can't die." It wasn't indisputable logic, but the words the woman spoke next silenced her. "And if you want your dear Inuyasha to live, you will ask no more of the subject." The woman seemed to chuckle, then yanked Kikyo up by her shoulder. "Wear this." She handed her a necklace that seemed deceivingly normal. "It will cloak you as you follow out your tasks." _

Somehow, Kikyo knew that when the time came, if this kept going on, Inuyasha would die. But while she delayed his death, she sought ways to elude the orders she was given. Potions to make someone look like a dead body wouldn't work, because eventually the body would wake up, and then Inuyasha would die. She'd thought of pretending as though Inuyasha meant nothing to her, but then the woman would kill Inuyasha just to make her prove it. Crossing her arms angrily, she shook her head.

For all the time that Kikyo had spent listening to her 'Master', she still had no idea what she looked like, or even her name. Still, it seemed she was smart. The assassinations she'd made Kikyo perform were spread out, hence the mountain she was currently climbing. The next person that she wanted Kikyo to kill was over the mountains, near the coast and lived in a remote home. She was truly sick of killing all of these people, no matter that they were demons. She hated seeing the light leave their eyes, or listening to them die. Most of the time she threw up afterward, the metallic scent of blood hanging too heavy in the air for her to bear. Her musings continued as she crunched through the snow.

0-0-0-0-0

"Inuyasha? What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, her confusion bright in her eyes. Ah-Un only stopped hissing until Kagome patted his neck. "Good job, Ah-Un." She murmured.

The half demon looked tired, his eyes a little darkened. He blinked a few times, trying to make sure she was there. "Is that really you, Kagome?"

"Yes, I'm standing right in front of you." She realized he must be _really _tired. She put her bow away, taking a good look at Inuyasha. He had snow in his hair, and there were a few scratches along his face. "Are you okay?" It was kind of hard to see him in the fading light, but his eyes were easy to spot.

"'Course I'm fine! You think I'm weak? And what are you doing way out here in Sesshoumaru's territory?" Inuyasha straightened a little, his voice gaining back its usual gruffness, but there was a fatigued edge to it.

"You're one to talk." She countered, raising an eyebrow. "Shippou got sick. Sesshoumaru offered his help." Kagome said simply.

"I bet it's some sorta scheme, the bastard." Inuyasha growled.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "When was the last time you slept, Inuyasha?"

"Eh? I dunno; why do you wanna know?" He muttered, shooting her a suspicious glare.

"When was the last time you slept, Inuyasha?" She said, enunciating every word clearly, and with that dangerous sweetness that made Inuyasha freak out.

"Uh.. Few days ago...?" He said it like it was a question.

Kagome sighed, hiding her apprehension towards him; if he were to find Kikyo, and if her vision was true, Inuyasha would die if he got to her. "You need some sleep, Inuyasha. I suggest you do it further away, though. Sesshoumaru doesn't seem like the welcoming type."

"And what if I don't?" Inuyasha challenged, his eyes alight.

Kagome glared at him. "I'll know. And I'll S-I-T you until you can't have babies."

He quailed, "You wouldn't!"

"Try me." Kagome raised an eyebrow. She knew that the only way to stop Inuyasha and even slow him down a little bit was to threaten him, and it worked. "I gotta go Inuyasha. You better sleep tonight." She waved, flashing a sweet smile. "I'll see you!" She called as she climbed onto Ah-Un's saddle.

Even after she'd left, he still stood for a few moments. "She wouldn't. Right?" A minute of arguing with himself later, he went to find a place to sleep for the night.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome smiled to herself, feeling accomplished; at least Inuyasha would be safe for a few days, at best. Until something on the snow caught her attention. An animal? "Ah-Un, fly down there, would you please?" As she dismounted from him, she realized what she saw was a dark foal, seemingly caught in a trap of some sort. It's leg was bleeding. She jogged over to it, and realized it must be unconscious. She tried prying the trap open, murmuring soft comforts to the little horse as it hyperventilated. The metal of the trap was ice cold. "Oh no..." Ah-Un was peeking over her shoulder. She tried pulling the trap open again, with no success. The two headed dragon leaned over, and Kagome scooted back a little as Ah-Un moved forward, each of it's heads going to one side of the trap. Kagome saw the muscles in his necks bunch with effort, but the trap only seemed to open slightly, then closed back over the foal"s leg. It shook, it's legs trembling and spasming. "What do I do, what do I do?" Kagome muttered to herself, running her shaking hands through her hair. Ah-Un pressed close to her, some of his warmth helping her. Kagome softly petted the horse's fur, it couldn't have been more than a month old. Ah-Un's ear twitched backward.  
"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru's baritone voice startled her so badly she almost screamed. He stood, towering over her as he stared her down. She was pale with the cold, but her nose was red, and all of her hair had been shoved into her hood.

Kagome leaned back a little, showing Sesshoumaru the foal. "Can you help him? Please? I tried to pull the trap apart, and even Ah-Un did..." She stopped talking as he knelt next to her, his shoulder brushing hers. His hands closed around each side of the trap, and, with a sharp crack, it split in two. He looked at her, and it seemed as though he was studying her. Then he stood, and pulled some straps on Ah-Un's saddle.

"Bring the animal here." He said.

Gently, Kagome lifted the foal, using both of her hands. She set it down on the saddle. Sesshoumaru pulled a fur from one of Ah-Un's saddlebags and spread it over the animal before tightly strapping it to him. Kagome realized that now her ride was gone. Ah-Un jumped away into the air, leaving Kagome and Sesshoumaru alone. "You were in my quarters."

She blinked up at him, and found his stern gold gaze locked on her. "I wanted to say thank you."

"Hn." He looked almost pensive for a moment, before it disappeared. He held out a hand.

Kagome frowned, confused. "What?"

In one swift movement, he caught her hand and pulled her against him. She gasped at how warm he was, it almost burned her icy fingers. He glanced down at her for a moment, eyes unreadable. One of his hands caught her waist. They were in the air then, and Kagome mused how scary it was. _Different than being on Ah-Un. _She thought as the world flew past them. The wind, so cold it was biting at her cheeks, caused her to turn her head toward Sesshoumaru's chest. He stared down at her, his eyebrows drawn together. Choosing to ignore it, he fixed his eyes forward.

Kagome was shivering against him, despite the warmth that he gave off._ Oh dear gods above, help me. I'm touching Sesshoumaru. _She thought,a little scared. _At least I'm not dead yet. _His hand on her waist gave her butterflies. Almost angry with herself, she shoved the soft part of herself away for now. _Oh, this is going to be fun. _She thought sarcastically. _Sure, Sesshoumaru can be a little nice sometimes, but the chance of him being openly nice is about as slim as a toothpick. _She spent the rest of the trip in silence, banishing any thought from her head that wasn't about Shippou.

When she felt earth beneath her feet, she stepped away from him quickly, feeling the tips of his claws sliding away. She didn't meet his eyes.. He was a fair distance from her as well, but she could feel his eyes on her. "Thanks.. I'm going to find Shippou now." Kagome murmured, turning on her heel quickly and keeping her eyes on the ground. Thankfully, she remembered which way to take from the main door to the healers' room. With another sigh of relief, she saw that the area was lit.

Sesshoumaru's eyes lingered on her for a moment, the darkness shadowing his face. "Little priestess." He said softly, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. He nodded his head in the direction she'd gone before leaving the courtyard.

Back inside, Kagome stumbled into the healer's room, only to find that they already had the purple-leaved plant. "Kenshin fetched them from Ah-Un's saddle." Ayako explained as she quickly worked.

"How is he?" Kagome asked as she neared Shippou. His face was still pale, but the small amount of the plant had helped his breathing somewhat.

"He'll be okay. It'll take him about two weeks or so to recover fully, though. So much sleep and not enough food have taken a toll on him." Ayako said. Mao and Ran were both using a mortar and pestle on the small leaves. They produced a strange odor that permeated the room. It made Kagome a little drowsy.

"What exactly... does that plant do to humans?" Fatigue had long since clawed it's way into her system, and the plant only made it harder to keep her eyes open.

"Oh, my!" Ayako exclaimed when Kagome fell to the ground, unconscious. After so much stress and worry over Shippou, she could sleep... For just a little bit... "Kenshin!"

The black haired demon materialized in the doorway and blinked. "R-iiight." He said slowly. "I forgot about that."

Ayako sighed and shook her head. "Just take her to a nice bed. She needs the sleep."

He stuck his tongue out at her before picking Kagome up and walking through the halls. She smelled nice. And she was pretty, despite the exhaustion that was written all over her face. As he walked towards the room, Sesshoumaru appeared from around the corner. Kenshin bowed his head, since he could not bow fully.

Sesshoumaru only raised an eyebrow in question. "She fell unconscious when the scent of the plants reached her. I am merely taking her to a guest room." Kenshin explained, noticing that the position he was in was somewhat compromising.

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly, then disappeared, his speed allowing him to reach his study faster than Kenshin could blink.

"Okay then." He muttered, taking her to a room near Sesshoumaru's. "Good night, Miss Kagome."

0-0-0-0-0

The Lord of the Western Lands remembered why he wasn't at his castle more often. Paperwork. It wasn't that there was too much, or that it was too hard, it was because it was boring. After sorting through more than half of the paperwork, he almost wanted to destroy all of it and say that a servant accidentally burned all of it. Narrowing his eyes in frustration, he stood abruptly. He was distracted. As he left the room and paced the hallways, his feet led him to a door not far from his own. It smelled like her. He growled deep in his chest, and it traveled eerily throughout the halls. His claws leaked poison onto the wooden floor, dissolving the wood. _Curse it. _

End of Chapter 9 – Until You Can't Have Babies!

A/N – Thanks for reading all the way through! I hope you like this chapter and please, don't hesitate to ask questions, fave, or review! :D I know, I abused Sesshoumaru a little. The first time he sleeps in weeks and he gets another dream. XD. Poor guy. Anyway, I'll see you guys next chapter, and hopefully that's not that far away! :)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N – So, I'm hoping that wait wasn't too long with a little Zutara to keep you company. XD. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and favorites and alerts! Be prepared this chapter for some Inuyasha scenes, and some more Kikyo scenes. I don't own Inuyasha! Or Transformers. Sadly. But I like to mess with it. Hee. So, inspiration for this chapter was "East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed. Oh, and Marvin Gaye, with "Let's Get it On", a song that half the world was conceived to. WIN. XD Anyway, have fun with this one! P.S. Look out, there's major cussing later!

Chapter 10 – Don't Run With Jaken's Staff!

"_Night after night, day after day,  
and still I can't move."_  
-Sesshoumaru

Dawn light filtered through the thin branches, which were coated in a light dusting of snow. Inuyasha groaned as some fell directly on his face. "Why did I have to listen to her, anyway?" He asked the air irritably as he worked a kink out of his neck. He snorted derisively. "Women." Jumping out of the tree, he began wandering back toward Sesshoumaru's territory, intent on finding Kagome and really figuring out what was going on. Kikyo's scent led over the mountains, and since he could cover that ground twice as fast as her, he'd catch up to her in no time. Or at least, so he figured.

He grumbled to himself the whole time as he trudged through the fresh layer of snow.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome awoke to the sound of Rin's high laughter. Rubbing at her eyes as she stretched, she almost forgot where she was. Then she heard Jaken's grating voice, yelling at her to stop running through the halls lest she wake Lord Sesshoumaru. Kagome snorted. Sesshoumaru was probably awake the second that Rin took one step in the hallway. Someone knocked at her door. "Uh... Yes?"

"Are you presentable?" A female's voice asked.

"Sure, as long as you're a girl." Kagome said, straightening her clothes slightly. The door opened, and Kagome recognized Mao, one of the twin healers. She held Kagome's bag in one of her hands almost effortlessly. Oh, how Kagome loathed that thing.

"I've brought your things, and if you'll follow me, I'll take you to our hot springs." Kagome sighed, extremely happy to be able to bathe. Last night's cold weather had her feeling like crap this morning.

"Thank you." Kagome said as she got up and stretched again. "How's Shippou doing?"

Mao smiled. "He is sleeping at the moment, but he is recovering. We fed him some soup earlier, and he's held it down."

Kagome sighed in relief. "That's good. Could I visit him before we go to the springs?"

"Of course, Miss Kagome." Mao bowed slightly, and Kagome frowned.

"Uh, you don't have to do that whole bowing thing around me." She said, giving Mao a reassuring smile. The two stayed silent for a moment as Mao waited patiently. "Um... What?"

"You aren't going to... change clothes at all?" Mao asked. Kagome wore the jeans she'd collapsed in last night and a t-shirt.

"What for? We're going to a hot springs afterward right?" Kagome asked, shrugging. She rand a hand through her hair, then pulled it up into a loose bun. Mao gave her an odd look, then nodded and led them out of the room. Kagome would have bet that women in this time never left their rooms without hours of preparation, but she couldn't bring herself to get that dressed up so soon after waking. It was just... an unattractive idea altogether. She snorted.

Mao looked back at her in question, but she shook her head. Kagome noticed that the servants seemed a little less on edge than they did yesterday as they walked through the endless hallways of Sesshoumaru's mansion. None of their auras were bristling at her presence. Maybe they were used to her?

In the healers' quarters, Ayako seemed busy grinding some herb up into a paste, and Ran was settling Shippou into a more comfortable position. "Shippou?"

Kagome smiled gently when he turned his head wearily in her direction. "Momma!" He said, a smile brightening his face. She rushed over to him, such a wave of love passing over her; so strong that she almost stumbled. Leaning over the bed, she caught him in a gentle hug, holding him to her chest. Just reveling in the knowledge that he was safe was enough to make her happy for the rest of the week. Hell, for the rest of the year. Losing him would have destroyed her. It would be like losing her family again.

Tears gathered in her eyes. "Shippou, you scared me so bad."

"I'm sorry, I should have listened to you." He said quietly.

"No, Shippou. It's not your fault, okay?" She pulled back to hold his face in her hands.

He nodded, then wiped her tears away with his fingers. "Don't cry. I'm right here."

Kagome made a soft noise in her throat. "Oh, Shippou, I know. I'm just happy you are." his hands came around her neck. Ayako had stopped what she was doing to watch Kagome, her eyes soft and a little too bright. "I'm gonna let you sleep now, 'kay? You need it to get better."

Shippou laid back down on the bed. "Okay." He didn't like it when she cried, but he knew this was a happy sort of cry.

Ayako smiled at Kagome as she walked out the door.

Kagome and Mao's footsteps echoed in the now empty hallway. "You really think of that little fox as your son, don't you?"

Mao seemed a little disbelieving. "I do. He needed someone to take care of him." She blinked at Kagome's words. "His parents died."

"If you don't mind me asking, why look after him? He is a demon, after all." Mao said quietly. Kagome took a moment to glance at the young—at least young looking—healer. She just seemed honestly curious.

"It doesn't matter what you are, it matters what you do." She said, smiling. Mao stared at her for a while, some arcane expression on her face.

"You are unlike any human I've met." Mao said, a little wonderingly.

Kagome smiled. "I like to think so." She giggled.

Mao laughed lightly, and just then Kenshin popped his head into the hallway, an impish grin on his face. "Is that Mao I hear laughing?"

The girls snorted, and Kagome was struck with the image of Sango and Miroku. Though way less extreme. She laughed. "Point being?"

Kenshin seemed to waltz into the hallway, a light cadence in his steps. Kagome glanced at Mao in question. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Kenshin sighed dramatically, almost swooning as he neared them. "A demon such as myself should not be permitted to witness your beauty."

"You can just as easily go right back inside that door." Mao muttered, but it was drowned out by Kenshin.

He shook his head, his bright silver eyes mocking sadness. "I shall be punished, then, for I cannot look away."  
Kagome face palmed. "Oh jeez."

Kenshin's romantic facade vanished, and he laughed. Kagome and Mao joined in a moment later. A shoe hit him in the back of the head. "Ow! What—Oh. Oops."

At the end of the hallway stood Ran, minus one shoe and plus one glare. "Kenshin! Stop hitting on my sister and Miss Kagome!"

She shot Kagome an apologetic glance, but Kagome waved it off and smiled, then looked to Mao, confused. "They're courting." She sighed, and rolled her eyes as Kenshin pressed a gentle kiss to Ran's forehead. Kagome blinked. _Oh._ "He's always like that. But he loves her."

Kagome smiled, and so did Mao. "Why are you all so relaxed today?" She asked as Kenshin and Ran disappeared.

"Lord Sesshoumaru is out patrolling his lands, as is his wont." Mao said.

The young priestess giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "So you relax when he's not here?"

Mao smiled. "That is correct."

"Is he really that bad?" Kagome asked. She remembered the night he'd checked her arm, when his touch had been firm, but gentle. He didn't _seem _that bad.

"His formality and temper are quite tiring sometimes." Mao said, seeming thoughtful. "But most of us have been here for decades, and even centuries. For example, Ran and I were born here a little over a hundred years ago. And even though our mother died at childbirth, Ayako raised us."

Kagome pondered that for a moment. Memories of the times he'd been kind to her; if it wasn't for that, she wouldn't be at his palace. Not to mention stuck underneath the branch of a tree. "He's not heartless." She murmured. It was almost a revelation, and even though she'd seen Sesshoumaru interact with Rin before—the thought of Rin made her wonder where she was—she'd believed that Rin was the exception to Sesshoumaru's unyielding mask. In a way, she was; he showed he wasn't uncaring in roundabout ways that not many would take note of.

Mao nodded. She glanced at Kagome. "Yes, he is powerful. Yes, he is vicious. But not heartless."

The hallway fell silent as Kagome thought to herself, tugging on an errant strand of hair lightly.

"Rin, you put my staff down right now!" Jaken's voice squawked from around the corner in front of them. "Rin!" The little girl's ringing laughter sounded loudly.

Mao and Kagome rounded the corner quickly. "Lady Kagome!" Rin was running as fast as her legs could take her, all while carrying Jaken's two-headed staff.

"Rin! Rin, slow down!" Kagome cautioned the young girl. She slowed. "Now, give Jaken his staff back. That's dangerous to be running around like that. It breathes fire, remember?" Kagome was instantly reminded of the time her mother told her not to run with scissors. _It's the same basic idea at least. Except my scissors never breathed fire. Or had two heads. _She thought, giving a mental eye roll.

Rin sighed. "Oh-kay." She handed the staff to Jaken. "Sorry, Master Jaken."

The little toad glanced at Kagome and nodded his head in a sort of reluctant respect. Kagome smiled. "Now, Rin, it's not nice to take people's things."

"I know... I was just bored, that's all. I won't do it again, I promise!" She said, looking up at Kagome with widened brown eyes.

Mao watched, amusement glittering in her eyes. It was obvious that Kagome had a way with children.

"Okay, now, how about you go find Kenshin and ask him for a piggy back ride? I'm sure he'd love to." Kagome said, smiling. She knew that Kenshin wouldn't be able to say no to the little girl, and so did Mao, who snorted.

Rin was delighted. "Okay! Master Jaken, help me find Kenshin!" She ran off, tugging a disgruntled Jaken behind her.

As soon as the two were out of earshot, Kagome and Mao bust out laughing. "I'd say 'poor Kenshin', but I wouldn't mean it." Mao said jokingly.

0-0-0-0-0

_It is nice, _Sesshoumaru observed, _to be here again. _He'd been patrolling his territory since dawn, and was quite pleased to see no unwanted demons had breached his lines since the last time he'd been there. Ah-Un sniffed the air carefully just a moment after Sesshoumaru. A scent, strong and familiar, crossed his nose. There went his enjoyable morning. He'd thought that Inuyasha would have evacuated accordingly last night, after stumbling across Kagome. Changing direction, he followed the scent, growing more irritated with each step that Inuyasha had taken into his territory. _His._

Sesshoumaru found Inuyasha sniffing around the place that the foal had been last night, seemingly confused. "What brings you into my territory, half breed?"

Inuyasha whirled, baring his fangs and grabbing the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "Your sneaky ass, that's what! I wanna know why Kagome's really here." He growled.

"What importance is it to you?" Sesshoumaru's eyebrow raised. "I was under the impression that you left after the clay woman." He spoke coolly, but his temper was slowly getting the best of him. His claws itched. He wondered vaguely if Inuyasha would ever mature enough to act properly. The probability of that, however, was slim indeed.

"Just shut up and let me talk to Kagome, you bastard!" Inuyasha shouted, his grip on Tetsusaiga tightening.

Sesshoumaru cast a glance at Ah-Un, who took off immediately. "I do not believe it was wise to invade my territory." Leaping across the clearing, he pulled Tolkijin from it's sheath effortlessly, and swung it downward. The sound of blade against blade echoed through the snow-covered trees. Grim satisfaction made itself known in the back of Sesshoumaru's throat, urging him to growl savagely. He bit the feeling back...

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome and Mao were walking though the courtyard of the mansion when Ah-Un swooped out of the sky and landed next to them with a startlingly loud thud. He began nosing Kagome, as if to maneuver her onto his saddle. "Ach! Ah-Un, what's your deal?"

"Ah-Un left with Sesshoumaru this morning. Perhaps he sent for you?" Mao suggested, and helped Kagome onto the dragon's saddle.

Kagome blinked. "Oh. Maybe he's in trou-" She was cut off as Ah-Un jumped back into the air, making her lose her breath. And when she caught it, she screamed. Loud.

0-0-0-0-0

Inuyasha had raised his blade to swipe at Sesshoumaru when a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air. He paused.

Sesshoumaru knew that scream; and it caused him to stop momentarily as well. Then he took the advantage, and punched Inuyasha in the side of his jaw. The half demon flew back, losing his sword as well as consciousness. He glanced up at the sky and saw Ah-Un, flying at breakneck speed, Kagome holding so tight to one of his necks that he thought she might kill him. She looked terrified. But did it cause him some relief to know that she was not in danger? _Of course not. _He told himself.

Ah-Un landed not a minute later. Kagome staggered as she almost fell off of him; a rather ungraceful move, Sesshoumaru thought with a hint of amusement. "What, exactly, is this about?" She demanded, her eyes bright with frustration.

She caught sight of Inuyasha, who'd regained consciousness, and now held his blade at them. "I told you to leave, idiot! Sit!" _Wham. _

"Augh... Damn it... I wanted to know why you're here with this asshole." Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.

"I told you; Shippou's sick. And he's getting better." She glanced at Sesshoumaru. "You know those visions I told you about?"

Sesshoumaru watched her for a moment, keeping his eyes impassive. "Yeah? What about 'em?" Inuyasha grumbled as he recovered himself, standing and roughly brushing his legs off.

"In another vision, someone threatened Kikyo with your life." Sesshoumaru remembered that. "She left to save you." Kagome watched as Inuyasha drank in the information, seeming to process it. "If you go after her, and you find her, you'll be killed." Kagome desperately hoped that Inuyasha would listen to her, and not tell her that she was crazy. Her hopes dwindled as Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and his fingers turned white from holding Tetsusaiga so tightly. Sesshoumaru absorbed this information slowly; if that vision had come true, then why not others? It was surely just coincidence.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. Stupid wench." He growled, mistrust in his eyes. "All you want is for me to forget Kikyo!" He strung the theory together quickly, eyes alighting with anger. Kagome blinked.

"Inuyasha?" She asked, concerned.

"Don't fucking 'Inuyasha' me, you bitch." Inuyasha took a few steps forward, putting his sword away. "That's all you fucking want!" Kagome backed up as Inuyasha came nose to nose with her. Sesshoumaru watched, displeased. "I almost fucking believed that you wanted to be just friends—but you're just a fucking cunt!" Whatever he was about to say next was cut off as a hand closed around his throat, raising him off the ground. Sesshoumaru's claws drew blood. "Let m-me... go-" A thundering growl silenced him. Kagome watched him, hastily wiping the unshed tears out of her eyes.

"As she explained, she is here for her fox." Sesshoumaru's voice was deadly quiet. "You intrude my territory, challenge me, insult me, and insult her, all while she tries to save your pitiful excuse for a life." Sesshoumaru squeezed tighter, causing Inuyasha to cough weakly. "You would do well to be grateful and heed her warning." He dropped Inuyasha to the floor, where he began coughing and sputtering.

As he turned away, he caught Kagome's eyes. Some of his anger faded. "Come." It wasn't rude or angry, or even commanding.

Kagome followed him out of the clearing as he wandered; then she realized she still hadn't had a bath. Fidgeting nervously, she hoped she didn't look too terrible, and tried to brush her bangs back away from her face. She wrapped her arms around herself to guard against the cold.

Sesshoumaru had stopped once the forest had surrounded them, and was waiting for Kagome to catch up. "I'm sorry he came here." She said quietly, and sniffled. She really wished that Sesshoumaru didn't have to save her all the time, but she was grateful that he did.

He could smell the salty scent of tears even though she refused to let them fall. "He is... unintelligent." he paused. "You are not to blame."

Kagome stared at his profile, trying to gauge his mood. Silver-white bangs, royal blue crescent moon, molten gold eyes, magenta stripes along his cheeks, and full lips; behind which she knew were lengthened canines. The light of his eyes signaled _predator. _Inuyasha's eyes never held such cool calculation. Nor did he possess the fluid grace of Sesshoumaru's movements. He glanced down at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Thank you." Kagome smiled at him, and then shivered.

He knew he shouldn't respond. He knew. "You're welcome." Her answering smile was as bright as the snow beneath him, but faded quickly. She averted her eyes to the ground, and shoved her hands in her pockets. She trudged ahead of him. Her thoughts had been drifting toward her family, growing more melancholy with each second. The hole left by her family's deaths was yawning wide in front of her, threatening to drag her down. She gulped, shivering again with more than just the cold. "Life comes and goes."

She whipped around to look at him, but he was enigmatic as ever. Comfort from Sesshoumaru? _That's about as possible as Megatron—Oh look! There he is! _She thought sarcastically as Megatron played tic-tac-toe with a flying pig in her head. He was losing. "Yeah... I know." She whispered.

Sesshoumaru caught the emotion in her eyes. She wasn't just thinking of Inuyasha's impudence. He mentally groaned at himself. He wasn't supposed to know things about her. Shouldn't it have been enough to know a few things? The visions they had shared at the God Tree passed through his head, and his hands curled into fists, claws pricking at his skin. The dreams came back in a dizzying rush, threatening to overcome him. Closing his eyes for a moment, he inhaled deeply. Her scent surrounded him.

"Sometimes, when I think about my family, I wonder why I survived." Kagome said, her eyes seeming far away. "But then I think of Shippou." She gave a wistful smile. "He needs me." She cast a glance back to Sesshoumaru, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

His eyes locked onto hers, scarcely concealed emotion churning in the molten depths. Confusion, frustration, and curiosity. Kagome was helpless under his gaze as he stared at her, trying to glean the information he wanted from simply surveying her face. She watched his eyes flick once or twice to her neck, seeming steeped in his indecision. She was aware of the heat blooming in her cheeks and the racing of her heartbeat under his scrutiny. Her hand landed on her chest, emotions fluttering from self-conscious to nervous to hoping that he would say _something. _As she regarded him, she found her eyes wandering to his markings again, and the heated gold of his eyes. She was stunned at how absolutely predatory he looked, and how benign she looked in return. It occurred to her that he could kill her very, very easily. But he hadn't; and Kagome found that what she feared more was something else entirely.

A snowflake landed on Kagome's hand. "Oh." She murmured, glancing down at it reluctantly. Sesshoumaru inhaled so sharply it sounded like a hiss, then turned on his heel, her scent strong in his nose.

0-0-0-0-0

"I'm sorry." Straight black hair slipped over one shoulder as the woman bowed her head. Guilt, disgust, and shame made her sway, nauseous. The demon had been sleeping, slightly snoring when she'd walked in to end his life. She would've bet that he had many years ahead of him. Now, however, that life was gone—_taken by yours truly. _Kikyo thought to herself. Over the past few days, she'd been trying to think of ways to go around her Master's orders. As she continued to make plans, the more unrealistic they became. But there were a few that she thought might work, _if _someone was willing to comply. She doubted it.

Kikyo exhaled violently, trying to expel the scent of blood from her nostrils. She wiped her blade on the sheets. When she took another glance at the body, her breath came short. She dropped to her knees. "I'm so... so sorry." her hands clutched at her chest. "Gods above... I only wish that this person be granted safe passage into your realm. And I accept the fact that his death was my doing. I apologize." Even after three times, she still felt sickened by the deaths that she caused. The glee in her Master's eyes when she reported their deaths only furthered her unease.

Slowly, she stood and leaned over the body again. With shaking fingertips, she gently closed the demon's glazed eyes. _No one deserves to die like that. _She thought, her anger and guilt bubbling up inside her. She was glad that no one else was home: her orders prevented her from leaving anyone present alive.

Kikyo gasped as a new thought occurred to her. Pondering it for a moment, she stood perfectly still. Then she grabbed one of the lanterns off the wall and pulled off it's thin paper covering, revealing the small candle inside. Kneeling next to the sheets, she lit them on fire. Then she went to the walls, the nightstand, anything substantial that could catch fire. Soon the whole room was alight, and filled with smoke. "No one else." She muttered, determination gleaming in her eyes. She walked calmly through the mansion, setting the tapestries and walls on fire as she went. By the time she shut the front doors, more than half the mansion was being licked up by hungry flames.

She walked to the edge of the estate, and stood, watching the flames envelop the building. Kikyo grinned bitterly, satisfied with her work. "If only I'd thought of it before... No one would have had to die."

Near midnight of that day, the embers were still glowing, but it didn't stop her from wandering through the ruins. Only a few beams of the structure were left, blackened and ready to crumble to the ash below. The remains of the bedroom were barely recognizable at all; there wasn't even a sign of a skeleton. Kikyo tilted her head to the heavens. "No one else." The memory of mournful howling made her shudder.

0-0-0-0-0

"Um... Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked after she'd caught up to him.

He turned his head slightly in her direction. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I was wondering if we could head back now? I know you're all impervious-to-cold and all that, but I'm not. And frankly, it's freezing." She said, her fingers buried in her clothes. Not to mention that she felt pretty nasty, having not taken a bath yet that day.

He turned in her direction, his senses still a little overwhelmed by her scent. "Ah-Un." The two headed dragon padded up to her, snorting once or twice.

"Thank you." She smiled as she mounted Ah-Un a little perilously. He gave her a curt nod, watching her for a moment. Her foot slipped on the other side, but before she could swing off, she felt two strong hands supporting her back. "Oh." Sesshoumaru felt his gaze directed to her cheeks, where a light flush was spreading. He heard her heartbeat increase. Their eyes locked.

"You should be more careful." Kagome blinked when he was suddenly gone. Her heart fluttered. Brushing it off as just the fear of falling, she held on to Ah-Un as he took off toward Sesshoumaru's mansion, and toward her hot bath. She let herself relax at the thought.

It turns out, the hot springs are right next to Sesshoumaru's rooms. But heavens above, they felt nice.

Kagome was neck deep in steaming hot water. "This is wonderful." She murmured to herself, tipping her head back to wet her hair. She caught sight of her arm, and a startlingly purple bruise that was situated on it. She poked at it gently, remembering the tree landing on her. Sesshoumaru's words that night flashed through her head. _"Further than was necessary." _He'd sounded almost concerned then. Kagome sighed, shoving the thought away. This was Sesshoumaru. The Killing Perfection. _And what an apt name that is. _Kagome thought, shivering despite the warmth of the water. He certainly looked perfect.

Her thoughts wandered. Leaning against some rocks in the water, she pulled her ankle up. On the back of her right ankle was a ragged scar. The wolf. It was still very pink, and if someone were to look closely, the outline of teeth were clearly visible. Her memory of that night was fine until she collapsed against the side of the hut. Shippou had told her what happened, but she still had trouble actually believing that Sesshoumaru, of all people, had saved her that night. Kagome ran her fingers over the scar before rubbing shampoo into her hair. _Then again... He has been really kind, to take Shippou in and help him get better. There are some things you can't ignore. _She rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, then started on conditioner. There were soapy bubbles surrounding her. _Damn... I wish I didn't get so flustered and teenage-girl around him, but he's so... Hell, I don't even know a word that describes him. Fluster-inducing isn't a word. At least... I don't think it is. _She thought, feeling her heart do a little flutter at the way his hands felt under her back. Her negativity got the best of her; there was no way that he'd ever, _ever, _feel anything toward her. She shoved the fluttering away forcefully, a little angry with herself.

She had more important things to worry about than her feelings. Sighing reluctantly, she stood and left the hot water behind, and started to get dressed. It was still only late morning.

Once she was dressed, Kagome left the room and found Kenshin; holding his hand was Rin. She rolled her eyes.

"Hi Lady Kagome!" Rin jumped and hugged her legs tightly.

Kagome picked the little girl up and swung her around, laughing. "Did you get Kenshin to give you a piggy back ride?"

Kenshin shot her a look. "Yes I did! He kept grumbling, but it didn't sound anything like a pig to me." Rin seemed confused, but Kagome just laughed loudly.

"Would you like something to eat?" Kenshin asked, "I was just on my way to take Rin to get a snack."

Kagome blinked. She hadn't really thought of food, but it sounded awesome now. "Sure." Kenshin led them down a few hallways, all while Rin was talking. She really was an amazing little girl.

"You're learning history too?" Kagome asked as she held Rin's hand.

Rin beamed. "Yep! It gets boring when Jaken teaches though."

Kenshin snorted. "Who else teaches you?" Kagome glanced down at her.

"Kenshin! He makes it fun." Kagome smiled at Rin's excited state. The dining room was quite formal, Kagome thought, but when Rin entered the room, she made it seem lively.

"So, what's on the menu today?" Kagome asked, sitting down on one of the pillows, with Rin right next to her.

"Just some fruit and vegetables for right now, lunch will be in a few hours." Kenshin said as he leaned sauntered through a doorway which Kagome assumed led to the kitchen.

"Do you like it here, Rin?" Kagome asked the little girl.

"Yeah, I love it! Lord Sesshoumaru lets me ride the horses and pick flowers! But I don't really like studying—flowers are so much prettier! Sometimes, when he's in a really good mood, Lord Sesshoumaru will let me put one in his hair. But that's only when no one's visiting."

Kagome giggled at the image. "Do you ever decorate Jaken with flowers?"

"All the time! He doesn't seem to like it all that much, but purple makes him look nicer." Rin paused. "I guess he doesn't notice that though."

Kenshin strode back into the dining room again, and Kagome's smile faded from her face. The look in his eyes was dark. He seemed angry and guarded. "Are you alright?"

He met her eyes, and shook his head very slightly. Kagome was about to ask him what that meant when who she guessed was the cook came in, bringing food with him. He had very short black hair, black eyes, and pale skin. His eyes landed on her, then perused the length of her body, halting slightly at her breasts and hips. Kagome's brows drew together, wishing she was wearing something baggy as compared to the jeans and purple t-shirt she wore.

"I'm Shou. You must be Lady Kagome." he set the plates down on the table, then held his hand out.

"Yes." Kagome said hesitantly, setting her hand in his. He bent, bringing it to his lips, and Kagome had to fight the urge to wince. Something about this man was definitely not right. She shot a glance at Kenshin, who was glaring at Shou.

She drew her hand back from him, and he bowed at her, never breaking eye contact with her. Then he turned and disappeared back into the kitchen. Kenshin was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

Even Rin didn't seem to like him all that much. "He's weird." She said before grabbing a strawberry off of the plate.

Kagome snorted. "Yes." Kenshin stayed in the room for the rest of the meal, then led them out. He was still in a foul mood by the time they were outside. Rin was running in front of them, heading toward the stables, or so Kagome was told.

"What was wrong with that guy?" Kagome asked Kenshin in a hushed voice.

"He seems to have a strange interest in you." Kenshin muttered.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"A bad sort of interest." Kenshin explained. "He was like that around Ran for a time as well, until I started courting her."

Kagome frowned, and was about to say more when Kenshin opened the door to the stables, revealing twenty or so horses. "Is the foal Ah-Un brought okay?" Rin ran to a stall in the middle where a light mare pricked her ears and whinnied.

Kenshin nodded. "He's just down here." At the end of the stalls, there was a blanket laid out on the hay, and on that lay the dark foal from last night. She hadn't realized it, but, the horse was black, and a very pretty black. He seemed to be asleep. His injured leg was bandaged and set awkwardly away from the rest of his body.

"Is he able to walk?" Kagome asked.

"We're not sure yet, but since the wound is healing well, we assume he'll make a full recovery." Kenshin said, seeming satisfied.

"Good." Kagome murmured, and brushed her hand over the horse's fur. "Sesshoumaru actually got him out of the trap."

Kenshin glanced at her. "Really?"

"I wasn't strong enough, and neither was Ah-Un, even though he tried with both heads." Kagome shrugged.

Kenshin's eyes sparkled. "You have quite the effect on him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome asked, one hand on her hip.

"Nothing, nothing. He just seems less... 'ice demon' around you." Kenshin lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug, leaning against a wall and crossing his arms.

Kagome snorted. "Sure."

"Kenshin!" Rin giggled loudly as her mare snorted and sniffed at her hair.

The good part of the next hour was spent watching Rin ride her little mare around the barn. Kenshin was teaching her how to ride side saddle, but it wasn't working too well. The sight calmed Kagome's nerves. "Isn't she the sweetest?" Mao had just walked in through the doorway, a soft smile on her face.

Kagome giggled. "Yeah, she really is. Is Sesshoumaru as cold around her?"

Mao glanced her way. "Sometimes...He indulges her though." Mao laughed. "He bought her six kimonos, six hair pins, and six different flowers."

"Why six?" Kagome quirked an eyebrow.

"It was her birthday. She turned six." Mao said, her eyes bright.

Kagome smiled and laughed. "That's so cute!"

Mao smiled gently. "Sometimes I wish I had a little girl like her." She paused. "But then I realize how many of us it takes to take care of her—I mean look at Kenshin." She gestured with her hand. He was having trouble getting her to stay side saddle. Kagome covered a laugh with her hand.

"It doesn't bother you that she's human?" Kagome asked, curious.

"It did when she first came here." Mao tilted her head to the side. "But then she started talking to us. Kenshin was the first to soften up. He's her second favorite, right under Sesshoumaru. We all love her." She frowned. "Maybe not Shou, though. Have you met him yet?"

Kagome grimaced. "Yeah. He needs to find someone else to look at."

Mao grumbled and muttered something under her breath, strands of her silver-purple hair falling out of its braid. "Watch out for him, Kagome."

Kagome nodded, "Wasn't planning on spending any excess time near him." She wrinkled her nose. "What kind of demon is he, anyway?"

"Jackal. No one really cares for him here." Mao muttered.

"Eesh. You're a dog demon, right?" Kagome asked.

"Sure am. Not as powerful as Sesshoumaru, but I'm not helpless." Mao shrugged.

"Unlike me." Kagome's lips turned downward. She wished she could learn how to control herself better.

"Are you kidding me? You should feel your own aura, you know that?" Mao's eyes were wide. "You scared me so bad when you got here yesterday, I thought we were under attack!"

Kagome blinked. "Uh. Was it that bad?"

Mao nodded. "A few of the servants actually ran for it. Sesshoumaru wasn't too pleased with that." She snickered. "And that's why Shou isn't in Sesshoumaru's good graces."

"Serves him right, then." She sniffed, and crossed her arms. Kenshin glanced up and snorted.

A crash sounded outside the doors before someone flung them open. Kagome jumped and whirled. A male demon, panting and sweating, leaned heavily against the door. "Where's Lord Sesshoumaru?" He gasped out. His blue eyes landed on Kagome for a moment, then whirled away.

"Hayato! What's wrong?" Mao ran to him, her hands on either side of his face.

"Another counsel member—dead." He took a deep breath. "The house was burned to the ground." He continued to pant, leaning on his knees.

Kagome blinked. "Another?"

Kenshin scowled. "Mao, could you go and find Sesshoumaru? You're quickest." He turned his attention to Kagome as Mao nodded quickly then took off in a flurry of speed. "Yes. One of his counsel members was killed about two weeks ago, and we haven't found the culprit." Rin had stopped playing on her pony, and was staring at Kenshin with wide eyes. "Come on, Rin, let's go inside now."

A few minutes later, Kagome, Rin, Ran, and Kenshin sat in the dining room. Kenshin had called for all of the servants to be on the grounds and alert. Shou was preparing lunch for the group.

Suddenly, Rin and Kenshin stood and backed away from the table. "Wha-" Kenshin put a finger to his lips, a grin on his face.

Shou walked in with trays of food in his hands, his eyes lingering on Kagome for longer than was necessary. He set the trays down, and before Shou looked at her, Kagome shot them a helpless glance. "Miss Kagome." His eyes dropped to her chest, just as Sesshoumaru appeared. He looked smaller, having not put his armor on, but no less threatening. He zeroed in on Shou, the direction of his eyes, the closeness of his body and Kagome's obvious uneasiness with the situation. Sesshoumaru stayed still, but a low growl issued from his throat. Shou backed away, his eyes averted. But he shot Kagome a grin that made her skin crawl. She would have _so _shot an arrow into his creepy face if there weren't children around.

"Leave us." Kenshin disappeared, and Ran grabbed Rin before leaving as well.

"Thank you." Kagome murmured, standing up next to him. He faced opposite her. She reached out to touch his shoulder. He turned quickly, his silver hair falling over one shoulder.

He nodded. "Can you take me to Shippou? Please?"

Sesshoumaru met her eyes, noting the soft concern for her fox. "Come." He walked into the hallway, his footsteps silent as always.

As they walked in the hallway, the silence started to bother her. "Did Inuyasha leave?" She fingered her hair.

She looked vulnerable. Her brown eyes, so warm most of the time, were distant, and a little melancholy. He watched her fingers tangle in her hair, and had the strange urge to run his claws through the dark locks. He shoved the urge down, mentally stabbing it repeatedly with annoyance. "Yes. He was headed over the mountains."

"Toward Kikyo, no doubt." Kagome sighed. "Do you really not care if he dies or not? I mean, he's really irritating sometimes, but he's still your half brother." She stared up at him, wishing she wasn't so short compared to him. Sesshoumaru stayed silent a moment, observing her. "Still maybe you hate him that much, I don't really know—it just seems silly to want your only family dead."

"He is not my only family." Sesshoumaru said, watching her face carefully.

"Is your mother still alive?" Kagome asked.

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "She lives far away." His nose twitched at her scent, so close to him now. "And to answer your question, I do not wish him dead. He simply needs to learn respect."

"Did your mother hate Inuyasha too?" Kagome's voice was soft.

Memories of his younger days filled his mind. Sun. His mother's bright smile. "No. Inuyasha was a child. He'd done nothing wrong." But she'd left nonetheless, unable to bear Inutaisho's obsession with Izayoi.

"Oh." Kagome smiled. Once Shippou got better, she was going to leave. The thought seemed odd, even though she'd only been there for a day. Her smile faded. But other people needed her. Like Kaede. The whole village of Edo needed a priestess to follow Kaede. _Sesshoumaru... _

"Here." Sesshoumaru's voice brought her out of her reverie. It had to be only four o' clock in the afternoon, but it felt like an eternity since she woke up this morning. Inside the room, Ayako sat, reading a large scroll as she relaxed. Shippou was sleeping on the bed.

"Thank you. You have no idea—well, maybe you do, with Rin and everything, but this means a lot to me." Kagome smiled at him, then turned and went to Shippou, picking him up gently and cradling him in her arms. Sesshoumaru watched quietly. He was astounded; not at the depth of her gratitude, even though it bemused him. No, what surprised him was that he had _chosen _to save her little fox. She cooed a soft lullaby to him as she rocked from side to side, her dark hair swaying with her movements. Gentle. Ferocious.

Ayako glanced up at him from her scroll, a smile on her face. She cast a glance toward Kagome. After a moment, she returned to her scroll. Her light touch on his shoulder earlier only proved she wasn't afraid of him. _It is not as if she was afraid of me before. _He mused. That should have angered him. Should have annoyed him. Even though he sought for the familiar emotions, they were nowhere to be found. His fingers brushed the wood of the doorway. She turned, and what Sesshoumaru saw made him pause in his thoughts. Her face was suffused in radiant joy and relief, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. She placed Shippou down, at a loss for words. The realization of Shippou, safe and sound, and _recovering_, all due to Sesshoumaru, was staggering.

She stood close to him. Sesshoumaru almost thought that she would bow, but then she threw her arms around his neck, glad that there was no armor to stab her. She stayed that way for a moment, not expecting anything; it was her only way of showing her gratitude. "Thank you." She murmured. Just as she was going to let go, the fingers of one hand settled on her waist gingerly. Kagome sighed heavily, sniffing. She bet her life that he really didn't understand how grateful she was, but she'd damned well try and make him understand. She pulled back a moment later, wiping at tears.

"A mother is always protective of her pups." He said softly, the emotion in his eyes unreadable. He turned with a sweep of his kimono and silver-white hair, disappearing into the maze of hallways. Kagome smiled, and turned back to Shippou.

End of Chapter 10 – Don't Run With Jaken's Staff!

"_And so, he stood in the doorway  
of indecision, unsure of whether  
he wanted to take the first step..."_

A/N – Well, that sure seemed like a long chapter. I hope it was worth it! :D review and please don't hesitate to favorite! I don't think the button bites very hard. XD, thanks you guys! You're made of awesomesauce!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N – First things first, I want to extend my prayers to those in Japan that were affected by the earthquake and tsunami. And I am simply amazed, that in the first few days of the aftermath, not one robbery or theft was reported. They are truly a very strong and respectable people, and my country should strive to become more like it. I believe that when they recover they will be stronger than before, but until then we can only pray for those they lost.

I'm sorry for being gone so long, my schoolwork got wayyyy out of hand and IB is trying to murder me with a blunt object. And I, Cloud, am finally one year older! But I can't drive. Facepalm. Still. Anyway, I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter; thanks go to Utada Hikaru and Scar, from the Lion King. (THE LONELY ISLAND – THE CREEP) xD. I don't own Inuyasha, so NYA! Here you go! :)

Chapter 11 – The Definition of Awesome.

"_We fear the thing we want  
the most." -Robert Anthony._

Her breath became fast and nervous as soon as Sesshoumaru left the room. Her eyes were screwed tight as she waited for him to come back and murder her. _After all, I did invade his personal space. And the only person that's __**somewhat **__allowed to do that is Rin. _She stayed that way for a good minute and a half until she realized he wasn't coming back. "I look like a retard." She muttered, opening her eyes; Ayako was staring at her, somewhat confused. Fading afternoon light glowed through a screen in the room, and Shippou snored lightly in his bed. Kagome gently lifted Shippou into her arms and stood, slowly rocking him back and forth. His breathing had returned to normal. All because of Sesshoumaru, the not-so-bad-bad-guy. He'd called her a mother before he'd left, a strange, soft emotion in his eyes. Maybe he was remembering his mother? She didn't know.

Shippou's recovery was putting her on a high. She brushed her fingers over his forehead to move his red hair. Her mind traveled as she rocked him. Her lips twisted into a grimace when she thought of Inuyasha, and his words to her earlier. _Idiot should have listened to me. Kikyo, I hope he can't find you. Otherwise... Aw hell, what am I saying. I'm probably going to have to stop him. _Her vision came back to her, and the woman who held the blade to Inuyasha's throat. She looked like a priestess, but the aura in the room was vicious, angry, and almost demonic. Which certainly didn't make sense, but what did anymore? Something was up with that woman, and it was all bad. Kagome shook her head. She'd taken one of the most powerful demons, albeit half demon, out of commission, which left Sesshoumaru and maybe some random powerful demons she didn't know about. She snorted. _Oh, and me._ She grumbled. She couldn't even focus her own powers into her hands. She put Shippou down, waved to Ayako, and left the room. If she was going to try this, it would be best to try away from other demons.

"Okay... Which way are the stables again?" She asked the empty hallways. To the left, and the doors opened to the lightly snow-dusted courtyard of Sesshoumaru's castle. Kagome silently high-fived herself, and walked over to the stables. Purifying energy wouldn't hurt the horses, as long as they weren't demonic. Which she doubted. She opened the simple lock on the doors and then pushed them open, her fingers trembling slightly with her nerves. She shut the door behind her, and went to find the little black foal. He was still asleep, but at least his leg was curled up like the other, close to his body. She smiled gently and sat next to him.

Kagome took a large, deep breath, and closed her eyes as she reached for the well of her power. With each breath she took, her focus increased. The horses snorted and stamped their feet as her skin began to glow slightly. She frowned and turned her hand palm-up, holding it close to her body. The minutes ticked by, and sweat appeared on her brow as she concentrated; but soon her hand glowed visibly brighter than the rest of her, and when she opened her eyes she found a white flame dancing around her fingers. She had stemmed the flow of energy to only her hand. She gasped, and the flames died out.

"Oh, no you don't." She muttered, and she began stemming the energy again, the evidence of her focus in her narrowed eyes and shaking fingers. This time, her hand erupted into white flame, and Kagome hissed when she realized it was stinging her hand, but kept the flame burning. "Finally!" She crowed, almost to herself. The young foal had awoken, and was staring at her hand, transfixed. "Isn't this awesome?" She gushed excitedly. She moved her hand around experimentally in a circle, then a zigzag. She linked her fingers together and winced slightly as the fire stung her other hand.

"Kagome? Are you alright?" A voice asked from outside the door.

"Yeah, I'm awesome!" She practically yelled as she stood up, careful not to touch anything with her hand. Just because it was purifying energy didn't mean it couldn't catch something on fire. "Why?" She opened the door to find Mao. The older woman winced when she saw the flames, and stepped back a few feet, covering her eyes.

"Because your energy is really... strong." Mao said.

"Oh, crap. I'm sorry!" Kagome let the energy go with a wave of her hands, and then shielded her aura even tighter than it'd been before.

Mao relaxed and blinked her eyes a few times. "That was kind of painful, actually." She muttered, and rubbed her eyes.

"Sorry! I thought it'd be safe to do way out here." Kagome said, frowning.

"It's okay, it was just scaring the servants. Pretty badly, actually. Shou made a run for it again." She grinned, her sharp teeth glinting in the dark of twilight.

Kagome snorted. "Serves the ass right. The next time he gets creeper on me, I'm shoving flames up his nose."

Mao laughed. "Come on, you've been out here for a while."

"Really? Didn't feel like it." She shrugged, patted the foal on the head, then followed Mao back into the castle. A flash of white hair caught her attention; Sesshoumaru was walking back into one of the doors. Her heart fluttered as she remembered the feel of "Can we visit Shippou?"

"Of course. I think Ayako would even let you take him to your room tonight if you want." Mao smiled.

Kagome's mood instantly brightened further. "Seriously?" She practically ran the rest of the way to the healer's room and jumped in the door. "So, is Mao lying to me and am I gonna have to jump her, or can I take Shippou with me to my room?"

Ayako simply glanced up and chuckled. Ran giggled. "You can." Mao blinked.

"Awesome. Again. Thank you so much." Kagome smiled brightly at them, and then lifted Shippou from his bed. Satisfied, she then realized the drain that the flames had on her. "Mao, can you help me? I forgot where my room is." Mao snorted, and then began leading the way as Kagome yawned widely. She blinked her eyes before realizing she needed to leave this place soon. The day to visit her time and hopefully Souta was coming fast. She had about a week and half left. The same hope and determination that drove her through the last few days in the future came back to her. Souta had to be alive somewhere. She hoped.

In her room, she curled up on the silk sheets with Shippou. "My little baby." She murmured, a smile on her lips.

"Mama." Shippou's small voice came a few moments later. He buried his nose in her hair.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru was disturbed. He had been working at the endless, infuriating stack of paperwork on his desk when a flare of pure energy distracted him. Not only did it fracture his already failing concentration on his work, but it frightened off one of his servants... again. He disliked the servant, and he ran off at the slightest sign of danger, so why keep the disdainful creature? Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he realized that energy came from _her. _It continued on for a while, cutting off for a moment before sparking back up, higher than it had been before.

What reason would she have for using her abilities in such a way? "Mao." The servant appeared at his door, her head bowed. He nodded in the direction of the stables. A few moments later, his curiosity got the better of him, and he stepped out of his room to see the doors to the stables opening. White flames engulfed her hands. He suspected she was training herself to wield her energy in places other than her bow and dagger. What surprised him was that she had the ability to control the expanse of energy within her to such a degree. He had never encountered a priestess with that sort of power. He turned away and walked back into his chamber, pushing the thoughts from his head. His dreaded paperwork awaited him. He sneered.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome yawned and stretched in her bed, careful not to bump Shippou while he slept. She changed clothes and made to step outside her door, but something caught her foot, and she fell flat on her face with a very colorful scream. "Agh, damn it." She muttered, and turned around to see what caused her to trip. A strange shaped hole, just outside her door, was the culprit. "Who leaves a hole in the floor? Honestly. Stupid floor."

"I do not believe it was the floor's fault." Kagome jumped, and turned to see Sesshoumaru towering over her, one eyebrow raised slightly higher than the other.

She scrambled to her feet. "Was too." She grumbled, a faint blush spreading across her face. Try as he might, Sesshoumaru could not help the slight amusement he found in the situation; he knew the hole in the floor was his doing.

She remembered her actions from the night before, and the blush intensified. She shied away from him in the hallway as they walked. "Rin is already in the dining room." Sesshoumaru planned to stay in the dining room with them this morning. Shou was not to be trusted. He lead the way to the dining room, where Rin was hopping up and down. Jaken looked exhausted already.

The breakfast this morning was brought out to them by a different servant, much to Kagome's delight, but while she and Rin were eating, pain in her lower abdomen seized her. She dropped the strawberry she'd been eating and groaned, dropping her head forward. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes focused on her, confused. Nothing struck her, nothing that he could see, however.

"Kagome, are you okay?" Rin chirped, concern bright in her eyes.

She gripped her stomach. _Seriously, this is not cool. Cramps? Ugh. Sesshoumaru is probably going to smell me bleeding for the next couple of days! Gross... Ah, not just Sesshoumaru, everyone! _Kagome grimaced; she'd never had cramps that bad before. "I'll be okay, Rin, my stomach just hurts." Suddenly without an appetite, she turned and left the room. Sesshoumaru's heavy gaze followed her, still confused. A peculiar scent crossed his nose. He'd smelled it before.

He stood abruptly, then disappeared with his speed. She was halfway down the hallway, leaned up against the wall with her head in between her knees. "Are you injured?" His voice was quiet, measured. He couldn't quite understand what was wrong with her, and it bothered him. The fact that it bothered him also bothered him. He frowned at his own musings. Kicking Jaken sounded quite satisfactory at the moment.

She turned her bleary eyes to him. "No.. not really." She dropped her head back to her knees limply.

Sesshoumaru was perplexed. "Then what is the problem?"

"Cramps." She ground out with a hiss.

He blinked. She must be speaking of menstrual cramps. That would be the only explanation for the scent of her blood, and the pain in her abdomen. It still bothered him to some degree, especially since her blood was making his claws itch. Maybe the healers would have a solution. He leaned over and scooped her up gently. She squeaked and buried her face in his chest, but made no other complaint. A second later, he was setting her down in the healer's room. Ayako glanced up, a concerned expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Sesshoumaru blinked and simply stared at her for a moment, quite unsure of what to say. "She is having... menstrual cramps." Kagome snorted loudly from her fetal position on the sofa.

Ayako smiled then, and bustled around in the room for a moment, gathering a few leaves before setting them into a pot of water. "I see. She'll be fine here." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly before disappearing. "You must have worried him." Ayako murmured as she lit a flame under the pot.

Kagome winced from another strong cramp. "Why do you say that?"

Ayako stirred the concoction for a moment before answering. "He was concerned enough to deal with you while you are menstruating."

She blinked and then laughed. "I suppose so. Ranks him a little higher in my respect book."

"Drink this. It should help with the cramps." Ayako handed her a teacup filled with hot mint-scented liquid.

"What's in it?" Kagome asked curiously, swirling it around.

"Mint, chamomile, lavender, and something you wouldn't want to know." Ayako said pleasantly.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Okay, here we go." She tilted the cup back and downed its contents. She smacked her lips lightly. "That's actually pretty good."

"A drop of Ah-Un's poison." Ayako said.

"What?" She gaped. "What for?"

"It helps to numb the pain, but don't worry, it won't cause any damage." The woman said, still with the same pleasant air.

Kagome looked at the empty cup, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You know I'm human right?"

"Yes, that's exactly why I only gave you a drop. Besides, there are traces of demonic poison in your system as it is." She said.

A cramp seized her, but it was no where near as strong as it had been. "Like what?"

Ayako tilted her head. "You do not know? It has been in your system for a while now. Maybe two weeks?"

"Must be that stupid wolf." She muttered quietly. "I was bitten by a demon wolf not too long ago, but I thought my body burned it off."

"It was not a demon wolf's poison, that would have been burned off quite quickly, especially with your power. It was much more powerful than that." Ayako fell silent after that, leaving Kagome in confusion.

Kagome shook her head. "Will it have any bad effects on me?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Okay, then I won't worry about it for now." Kagome said, then smiled. "I'm going to get Shippou and bring him here."

0-0-0-0-0

She'd faced his chest in the few moments that he'd held her. Her long black hair had brushed against his legs, and tickled the backs of his hands. Sesshoumaru glared at his paperwork, trying to keep her out of his head. The fact that the scent of her blood was wafting around his castle was extremely detrimental to his focus. But truly, did he mind all that much? Yes. Or so he told himself.

Sesshoumaru spent the rest of the day out wandering his lands, trying to avoid the scent that caused his nerves to behave so strangely. Only, the farther away he got, the more agitated he became. Her eyes flashed through his head, the dreams he'd had of her, the feel of her skin. The trees around him fell and disintegrated with his poison in his frustration. _Once she leaves, then everything will return to normal. _He thought. _She is human. And unbearably so. _

Inuyasha's scent, heading out of his territory, caught his attention. She'd said he was following the dead priestess. As long as the half breed stayed out of his territory, there would be no problem. Of course, the occasional brawl to prove his dominance was completely reasonable. The clouds above were darkening; sound around him was somewhat muted, the animals were silent, and snow was starting to fall. By morning there would be a thick layer of it: the heaviness in the air proved it. A snowflake landed on his nose, and he flicked it off with his claw. Snow was rather bothersome.

The castle grounds were still on a high alert status, since the news of his council member's death yesterday. Sesshoumaru had also sent out a few messengers to his other council members to warn them. The deaths were making his demon populace agitated, which was actually quite annoying and time consuming. His temporary leave of the castle every few weeks was normal, he'd never liked dealing with all of the decorum and idiotic politics that others delved themselves into, but nevertheless he'd been taught extremely well. If his political opponents did not cave to him simply out of fear, which was normally the case, he could always turn the situation to his advantage. When he was a child, he'd always been able to get his way. His mother used to spoil him that way, even when he was grown.

His mother... She liked to brush his hair with a silver comb. It soothed him. Every night while he was young, his father and mother would walk him to his room. _"Come, Sesshoumaru, it's time for bed. And no buts this time, you got to stay up quite late yesterday." His mother said gently, moving an errant strand of hair away from his face. At the age of seven, Sesshoumaru's hair reached the middle of his back. The scent of lilies and summer grasses surrounded him. _

_ "Okay." he murmured, and yawned. The sky was turning lavender, just like his mother's eyes. _

_ "Inutaisho, are you coming?" She called across the garden. Her face was pale, but her eyes were striking, and the magenta stripes on her cheeks stood out. The dark blue crescent on her forehead was usually hidden by her silver-white hair._

_ Inutaisho, without his armor, appeared from behind a tree, a smile on his face and his golden eyes sparkling. "Yes dear, just fetching something." He disappeared for a moment, then appeared at his mate's side, a bluebell in his hand. He tucked it into her hair and kissed the top of her head, then began walking with them to Sesshoumaru's room. The castle always seemed brighter when she was around. Flowers decorated vases among the many normally stark hallways; soft lantern-light perpetually glowed in even the darkest corners. She liked it that way. _

_ Inside his childhood room, there was a small bed, just for his use, and a few old toys laying around on the floor. A large crescent was painted on the ceiling. His mother picked them up as she walked by and replaced them to their proper place. Inutaisho lifted Sesshoumaru up and swung him around before jumping onto the bed with him. His mother simply smiled as Sesshoumaru's laughter chimed loudly in the room. When he was young, he laughed. But after his mother left, it seemed she took his laugh right along with her. "Alright, alright." She said, then grabbed the silver comb. Sesshoumaru, being himself, fussed for a moment before sitting still. His mother began combing, and all of his worries, of not being able to become the man his father wanted, of not being able to control his poison whip correctly, of ever growing old, melted away._

_ He looked to his father, who sat across the bed. "Now, this time, I'm going to tell you a story about an old demon named Jirou. Being the second son in his family, he was expected to be just as great as his older brother, but no matter what he tried, his parents never seemed happy. He tried sword fighting, which his brother excelled in, but he couldn't learn it very well. He tried to use a spear, but that didn't work too well either. He even tried a bow, but even then he couldn't hit the target. The only thing that made him happy was to paint, and he was very good at it. He could paint you, and it would look like a reflection." He paused as Sesshoumaru gaped and rubbed his eyes. "Now mind you, however, that his parents did not want a son that painted. That frustrated him so much, that he actually ran away from home, and went to hide in the woods. His parents were very sad, and very scared. They sent out a huge search party to find him, but Jirou knew how to hide very well. He was scared, too. He was hiding in a bush when he heard his parents talking about him. 'I can't believe he ran away. We shouldn't have been so mean to him about his painting.' His mother said. Jirou's father hugged her. 'It's alright dear, we'll find him. And when we do, he can paint as much as he wants.' His mother started crying, and his older brother and father hugged her. Jirou came out of the bushes, and his family hugged him very very close. He became one of the best painters the world has ever seen, and all he needed was his family. He got old and grumpy, but he always remembered the love of his father, his mother, and his older brother. Sesshoumaru, we want you to know that no matter what you do, that we will always love you." Inutaisho smiled at his son, who was looking very tired._

_ "Goodnight, Sesshoumaru." His parents said together, before kissing his forehead and tucking him in. _

_ "Goodnight..." He said sleepily. The last thing he saw was the bluebell in his mother's hair._

Sesshoumaru sighed at his childhood memory, then shook it off. Those days were over, and he was Lord of the Western Lands now. It was strange to think that his mother was still alive somewhere, but he did not seek to pursue her. She did not know that her beloved Inutaisho was dead. He did not want to relay the news. Even if he did tell her, she most likely would not return. There was nothing left for her here now. She'd left before Izayoi had gotten pregnant. Sesshoumaru growled loudly.

0-0-0-0-0

The snow was falling heavier and heavier by the second, and Kagome wanted to play in it. The horses were jumping around, kicking up snow at each other and running circles around each other. "Totally not fair. I want to be out there." Since her cramps had gone away, she'd been extremely hyper. Must have been something in the tea. She shrugged.

Mao chuckled at her. "Why don't you ask Rin? I'm sure she'd be willing."

'Will you come? It'll be fun." Kagome asked her brightly

Mao raised her eyebrows. "I don't know, Kagome. Sesshoumaru-"

"Sesshoumaru's not here, I can sense it." She said mischievously. "Where's Rin's room?" Mao sighed, but led Kagome there.

"Rin? Would you want to come outside and play with me?" Kagome asked the little girl.

Rin brightened instantly, and Jaken frowned. "She's not going anywhere with you-" he started to say, but Kagome kicked him out of the way. Rin laughed, delighted.

"So, where are your warm clothes?" Kagome asked.

Minutes later, they were outside in the snow, with Rin bundled up so well that there was no chance of her getting cold. "Okay, have you ever made a snowman?"

"What's a snowman?" She asked. Mao looked just as confused. Kagome laughed, then began to make a ball. She rolled it on the ground until it was half as tall as Rin, and then smoothed it out. "You think you got that?" Rin nodded, and Mao just snickered. She began rolling her own ball of snow with a wicked smile. Kagome snorted and helped Rin with her own. "You make the second one smaller than the first one, and then the one on top is the head." She hefted the big ball of snow on top of the first one, then grabbed a few stones for the face while Rin rolled the last one.

"How's this, Kagome?" Mao called. Kagome glanced over and almost fell. The first ball was almost as tall as she was.

She busted out laughing. "That, my friend, is the definition of awesome." Rin glanced up and laughed with them. "Okay, here, I'll put the head on this one. Now we make face, and there we go!" She clapped her gloved hands together.

Rin cheered. "Can we make these again when Shippou's awake?"

Kagome glanced down at her. "Of course we can." She turned to see Mao putting the head on her snowman. "Woah, check it out Rin!"

Mao pushed several big rocks into the head to make a smiley face. "There!" She jumped down from the head and wiped her hands on her thick kimono. The snowman had to be about twelve feet tall.

"Whenever winter rolls around, make sure I'm here for it." Kagome stated. Rin laughed, and Kagome picked her up. "I told you you'd have fun."

Mao snorted, and they headed in. Kagome's fingers were freezing, even through the thick gloves. Rin went to take a nap, and Mao had to take care of something in the hot springs. So that left Kagome by herself in the castle, just wandering through the extensive halls by herself. At first, it seemed like it was going to be terrible, but after a few moments, she began to enjoy it. Every turn led to a new hallway. Some of the doors were locked, but others led into the various guest bedrooms. One door she opened led into what looked like a library. Scrolls of all colors lined the walls and covered some of the tables. There were scrolls on what looked like everything under the sun, and several that weren't. "Wow." She murmured, but closed the door to the room and decided to come back another time. But now, she had a castle to explore. She passed the hallway that led to Sesshoumaru's room, and kept going.

Something passed by a lamp at the end of the hallway, making the flame shudder. Kagome stopped for a moment to listen and scanned the area. There were a few servants, so she shrugged and kept moving. The same thing happened a moment later, this time down a hallway to her right. She narrowed her eyes, and started focusing her energy. Whatever servant was up here didn't need to behave like that, and was going to get a face full of flames if it didn't stop. "I see you, Kagome." A voice whispered from down the hallway. Kagome recognized Shou's voice, and glared. Her hand was almost about to burst into flame, she could feel the sting from her power building up.

"Dirty coward. Get out here where I can see you." She spat, keeping her hand to the side where he hopefully couldn't see, but once the flames started, there would be no way that he couldn't see it.

Shou only laughed, and a second later he was standing directly behind her, one hand over her mouth and another holding her waist. She stayed still a moment, concentrating extremely hard. Shou's hand slid downward, and before his hand got too close, her hand lit up, and the flames began licking up her arm in her anger. Shou screamed when the flames touched him, and he let go. She turned around, swinging her hand with all her might and slapped him across the face. White flames began to envelop his head and then traveled down his body. He screeched loudly as the flames incinerated him, quicker than any normal fire would have taken. Kagome stared on in a sort of dazed horror at her work, and then satisfaction. "Hm. Serves him right. Don't mess with Kagome." She said, somewhat proud of herself. She just hoped that Sesshoumaru didn't really need Shou. She glanced at the ash on the floor a little guiltily."Sorry, Sesshoumaru." She murmured into the half-light of the hallway.

"For what?" Sesshoumaru's voice echoed.

Kagome spun around, her hand coming to land on her chest. "Holy crap!" Sesshoumaru had been flying back to his castle when he sensed and saw a bright flash of energy out of one of the windows, and decided to see what it was. Of course, she would be the cause of it. A suspicious looking pile of ash lay on the floor near her. She turned her wide brown eyes on him, a rueful twist to her lips. "I kind of destroyed your cook."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose, his eyes aglow. He'd expected that she'd just made a mess somehow. "How?"

"Well, I was wandering through the halls, and then I kept seeing the lamp at the end of the hallway flicker. I figured it was just a servant, so I didn't really mind it. But it happened again, and then Shou said 'I see you, Kagome'. Then he was behind me and he was holding me by the waist and covering my mouth." She grimaced, and Sesshoumaru fought the urge to growl. The demon had the nerve to even try harming something under his... "So I pushed my power into my hand and lit him on fire. And that's the pile of ash." She pointed to it.

Sesshoumaru's eyes bore down on her, heavy molten gold. Kagome's heart fluttered gently. "He did not touch you?" She knew what he meant, and was surprised that he even cared. She shook her head, and Sesshoumaru seemed to exhale slightly. He inspected her for a moment for injury, and decided she was fine, then met her eyes again. She was staring at him strangely; as if she didn't know he would have destroyed Shou if he were still alive. Then she gave him a little smile, walked down the hallway past him for a moment before stopping and turning.

"Can you show me the way to the healers' room?" She asked. He stared at her a moment, his eyes unreadable

Then he nodded, and began walking the opposite direction, a slight smirk on his face. "This way." Kagome smacked her forehead and followed him, embarrassed.

"So... What do you normally do here?" Kagome asked him.

Sesshoumaru blinked. "Paperwork." He lifted his upper lip in disgust.

"Oh." She murmured. "Is that why you're always wandering around?"

Silence enveloped them for a moment. "Mostly." Came his response.

The halls passed them by, and Kagome recognized the door to the library-thing she'd walked into earlier. "I didn't know you had a library."

Sesshoumaru glanced over at her wistful words, and saw a light smile on her face. "Yes. You may visit it if you like." He mentally winced at his offer. He shouldn't be allowing her further than she'd already gone. But here he was, doing exactly that.

"Really? Thank you!" She smiled brightly at him, and the anger he'd felt a moment ago seemed to leave him without any explanation at all.  
He hesitated, and then nodded slightly before turning toward the hallway again. "Your kit is recovering?"

Kagome cast a quick glance at him. "Yeah, he should be well enough to travel in about a week, I think. Well, that's when I have to go back to Edo." She said, counting off the days in her head.

The silence that followed seemed actually very loud to Kagome. "Why?" Sesshoumaru honestly didn't know why he asked, and he cursed himself for even allowing his own mouth to speak the word. He briefly closed his eyes, and a vision of her, bleeding out on the snow, came to his mind. His eyes flipped wide open, and he almost hissed.

She paused, a shadow passing over her eyes. "I've already told you that my family died, but not all of them. My little brother, Souta, is still alive somewhere. But I don't know where. Inuyasha tried to track his scent, but he lost it once we got downtown." Grimacing, she continued on. "Well, I left a note to him in my time, telling him that if he were to find me, that he should visit the Shrine at midnight on the ninth of every other month, where I'd be. I can't miss it." She whispered the last part. He could hear the fragile hope in her voice, frail as a newborn child. Then he mentally slammed his head into a wall for realizing that it existed. She gave a shuddering sigh, seeming not only in her voice but in the gentle slope of her shoulders.

0-0-0-0-0

Asleep in her room, Kagome curled a little closer to Shippou as her dreams took on a silver and gold tint. _Kagome lay curled on her side among silk sheets. But soon, she realized she was not alone; a warm weight lay across her waist and above her head. The warmth was pressed against her body. She opened her eyes to see skin, smooth and pale, directly in front of her eyes. She leaned back slightly to see who it was. Silver hair slipped off of her shoulders as she moved, feeling cool against her skin. His eyes were closed, and his face was devoid of any emotion except calm. Transfixed, she reached out and brushed her fingers across his cheekbone, and almost yanked her hand away when he turned his nose into her hand and inhaled, a soft smile on his lips. Kagome had never realized how a smile could change a face until Sesshoumaru. It made her want to smile, too. _

_ The warmth that held her waist moved to her back and began stroking her gently. She could feel the tips of his claws against her skin, but his movements never scratched her. "Is something wrong, Kagome?" As always, his voice startled her, all the more this time because he used her name. Her eyes traveled up his toned torso warily. If he was naked, then...She met his eyes, a furious blush on her face. "I know my body is interesting, but you may pay attention to it later, after you answer my question." A smirk lightened his expression. She felt his fingers on her face, quickly moving a black strand of her hair away before trailing down to her chest, where his claws traced designs over one breast. She gasped and stared down at him, no longer in control of her own limbs. His eyes changed quickly from light playfulness to predatory when he heard her gasp and saw her skin respond to his touch. _

_ He leaned over and placed a kiss to her lips, suddenly above her. She couldn't have done anything even if she wanted to, but the thought never occurred to her, lost as she was with his kiss. She responded as his tongue swept across her lips softly. His hands traveled up and down her frame, cupping her bottom and her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples. Kagome gasped into his mouth, and a rumbled growl emitted from his throat; she could feel need and hunger building up within herself, and as Sesshoumaru held her closer to him, she could sense his need as well. Their tongues danced together, and Kagome's breath came with a shudder._

_ His hand was traveling up between her thighs when the dream suddenly faded in a whirl of silver._

Kagome awoke with sweat on her brow, a heat between her legs, and a sleeping Shippou. She carefully left the bed and slipped out into a mostly dark hallway, only lamps at the intersection of the hallways cast weak light to her position. With Shou gone, the hallways would be safe to wander, or so she hoped. Taking one of the hallways, she grabbed a lamp off of the wall before continuing on. Her feet padded softly on the wood floor as she walked, hoping that she could be somewhat silent to Sesshoumaru's ears. The last thing she needed was to be near him at the moment. She shivered, not only from the cold, but as a method to try and rid herself of the flustered emotions running wild within her chest.

In her wanderings, she met many a dead end, but finally found her target, mostly by chance. The library fanned out in front of her, the shelves full of scrolls that looked as though they hadn't been read in a long time. She sighed, trying to calm herself, then went over to the shelves and plucked a random scroll from a higher shelf. She plopped down into a chair, grateful for the support it offered her weak legs, and began to unroll the scroll. When the page was revealed to her, she found something strange, but only stared at it a moment before placing it on the table. The scroll ended up being an old story, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. Her drowsiness ended up coming back to her, however, and by the end of the scroll, she was so tired she just leaned her head against the table, the story still fresh in her mind.

0-0-0-0-0

The moon was lowering, but Sesshoumaru didn't feel fatigue, just restlessness. She was walking around the castle. It had to be near sunrise, and she was wandering his corridors. He could hear her clearly from his chambers, but the sound of her walking stopped when she reached the library. He didn't think her to be one to read. Wait. He didn't think _her _anything. Right? Right.

Sesshoumaru frowned when she didn't move after an hour, and decided to move her back to her room. The hallways were dark and empty, sometimes a servant moving quickly with the shadows. He found her leaning against a table, a light snore coming from her lips. Her hair covered a part of her face, but her closed eyelids flickered with whatever dreams she might be experiencing. Next to her head lay something Sesshoumaru thought and hoped he would not have to see for a long time. As he woke her up, he pondered the coincidence of her finding that exact scroll.

On the table lay a dried spray of bluebells and a scroll that read, _'The Tale of Jirou, the Famous Demon Artist." _

End of Ch pater 11 – The Definition of Awesome.

A/N - Question. Why is it so easy for me to churn out a thousand words like this, but not for my English paper? OTL. And is it just me who thinks that 'flames' is a really annoying word to type? Sigh. Read, Review, Favorite! :) please and thank you!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N – I know. This chapter is really, really short. But it fits my purposes, and I don't think I'll disappoint when the time comes. I love you guys! :D Please please review.

Chapter 12 - Kikyo's Letter.

Her fingers trembled as she wrote the letter, hoping desperately that Kagome would accept. The demon that stood a few feet away stared at her, his gaze careful and guarded. He did not trust her very much at all, but he was willing to listen. The cloaking necklace was enough to merit his attention.

"Here. You must take this to the village Edo. Do you know where it is?" Kikyo handed the demon the scroll. He shook his head. "You head over the mountains and to the east, past the castle of the Western Lands. Find the strongest pure aura you can. That should be Kagome." She paused. "If she refuses you, I must insist that you find a safe place to hide." The demon looked as though he were about to protest. "Spare your pride, it is not worth dying for. Now please, go, and do not stop until you reach Edo."

The demon turned on his heel, and was gone. Kikyo sighed heavily. Now, she needed to find a way to keep Inuyasha away from her.

_Kagome._

_ Please forgive me, but under the circumstances, I cannot explain why this demon is facing you right now, only that he needs to be hidden, at all costs. If he were to be found, I fear not only his death, but the death of the demon race. I know it may be hard to believe me on such a matter, considering my unacceptable behavior toward you before this. Over time, other demons will come to you for shelter, but only if you accept my proposal. I implore you. _

_-Kikyo._


	13. Chapter 13

A/N – WELL! This has been a really long time in coming, but for those of you that read my stuff, I'm glad you stuck along for the ride! This chapter's going to go a little faster than usual, but I have confidence in it, and I hope you'll enjoy it! :D Inspiration goes to Rin', and the songs 'Sakitama' and 'Sakura Sakura'. If you're a fan of traditional Japanese music, try that with a modern twist, it's really cool (; Please please please review and favorite! Enjoy!

Chapter 13 – Guilt

"_Only those who attempt the  
absurd will acheive the impossible."_

Her sweet rain scent curled pleasingly around him, taunting in its softness. The dried bluebells and their flowery scent, which leaned towards acrid, reminded him of the fractured love that seemed to permeate even the walls of his palace. Sesshoumaru felt the stirrings of fury in his gut. _What right has she to invade upon me? What right has she to invoke such painful memories? _And all at once, it seemed his anger centered on the sleeping girl in front of him. She held the keys to his past; and it appeared that she failed to even realize it. _Weak. _His mind supplied, and suddenly he was filled with the desire to show her just how much she paled in comparison to him. It was a fierce, consuming, and piercing desire, one that set his bones afire and made his youki spiral around him in searing coils. He strode forward, intending to wake her.

She proved him wrong, and just before his clawed hand touched her outstretched arm, she jolted awake from the force of his rage, and stared blankly at his hand. "Sesshoumaru?" There was no waver in her query, and no quailing fear in her shoulders. Dimly, in his subconscious, he noted the absolute need to feel her fear. He needed her to submit to his domination, needed it like an addict to his fix. His footsteps took him forward again, and she looked up to his face and seemed surprised to see the expression there. "Are you alright?"

That damned caring whisper in her voice is what drove him into a red-rimmed haze. His youki pressed in on her from all sides, squashing her reiki as if between his forefinger and thumb. She choked and jolted again, but her shock only lasted a moment before her aura was shoving back against his. The fury that beheld Sesshoumaru came from years of suppression, years of encased emotion, and his own confusion. "Sesshoumaru! What are you doing?" The sharp, spiced scent of her anger only spurred him on.

He bared his teeth at her in a feral grin, and the answering push of his youki followed it. Kagome's eyebrows drew together quickly with her focus, and he saw the tell-tale glow form around her fingertips as she pushed her reiki harshly against him. "Stop this, Sesshoumaru!" She cried out, more out of concern for the other demons in the palace. _Her submission. _And still, with his youki fighting against hers, he smelled no fear. With a particularly heavy push, her concentration failed, and he was suddenly upon her, her back flush against a bookcase that shuddered at the force.

Heavy eyes fell on his, and he glared, snarling. She'd spent too many years with Inuyasha not to understand the basics of Inu communication. She held his eyes, and dared not bare her throat. She'd never submitted to Inuyasha, and she wasn't about to submit to Sesshoumaru, no matter how angry he was. Instead, she curled her lip at him slightly, baring her blunt teeth. Though she was human, Sesshoumaru would still understand the gesture of defiance.

The onslaught of her reiki lessened somewhat, and it was then that Sesshoumaru understood. Never would she submit, and never would he have the ability to harm her.

The thought left him feeling empty. Void. Rage paled and faded, leaving behind it a profound sense of silence. Bereft was a fitting word; she had taken the oxygen to his flames, and now he had nothing to fuel his fire. Her eyes thoroughly searched his, feeling the relenting force upon her.

Feeling slightly insulted, Kagome made a sound in the back of her throat before slipping from between the bookcase and Sesshoumaru's body, and then left the room with a huff. Though she was glad the ordeal was over she was still confused at Sesshoumaru's actions, and vowed to find out his reasoning after he was done with his tantrum. She supposed even demon lords had rough days, and to judge him before she knew the full extent of the situation was nearsighted. Still, attacking anyone so vehemently with one's youki was rather irritating, and Kagome didn't make a habit out of appreciating things like that, especially right after waking. She smiled slightly, realizing that if she'd held her ground against an angry Sesshoumaru, she wasn't doing too badly at all.

She judged by the lack of Rin running through the hallways that it was early yet, and somehow managed to find her way to the hot spring for a quick but very satisfying hot bath. The heat eased her muscles, which had cramped in the few hours of leaning against the table. In the midst of rinsing shampoo from her hair, a disturbed thought speared through her daydreaming. _So, was all that tenderness I thought I'd felt just a ruse? Or did he mean it?_

0-0-0-0-0

Gut-wrenching, slivered agony. _What is this torture? _Sesshoumaru thought as he leaned his head against the very same bookcase he'd pressed the young miko into. It emanated from his chest, and was beginning to cause an enormous headache behind his eyes. He remembered the look on her face as she fought against him; the feeling intensified. He frowned and closed his eyes, but that only brought the vision of her face back again, which in turn caused his headache to worsen. He knew she'd felt upset and confused when he left, but now her aura had balanced and evened out.

A strange, alien thought occurred to him. _Am I responsible for her unhappiness? _He scoffed, but it was too late. The seed had been planted, and he began to wonder. _Perhaps…Perhaps I was a bit harsh in my anger. _He paused, his breathing having stopped. _Perhaps I was wrong in my assessment of her part in this? Is that strange emotion…Guilt? _Yes, he knew it now. He was wrong. But that only served to disembody reasons for being furious with her in the first place.

He stared blankly at the bookcase where her scent still hung in the air. An echoing, hollow sensation clanged like a temple gong inside his chest, and his fingers twitched. He inhaled sharply, having almost forgotten to breathe in his examination. Slowly, Kenshin entered the room; his steps were cautious and barely audible.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kenshin ventured, a tentative chord coloring his voice. "Is something amiss?"

The daiyoukai remained silent and stock still.

Kenshin tipped his head down, and chose his next words carefully. "Mm..." He said quietly. "If I may; has something occurred to damage the relationship between yourself and Kagome-sama, my lord?" By not stating directly that Sesshoumaru may have had a part in it, he was saving himself a world of hurt, and silently congratulated himself. He'd used his craftily worded phrases more than once to find the information he desired.

The silver-eyed youkai's weighted words found their mark, and Sesshoumaru found himself bristling. "Silence befits you, Kenshin."

Kenshin bowed, "As you wish, Sesshoumaru-sama." He quickly retreated with a hidden smile on his face.

Left to his silence, the strange emotion welled up again and Sesshoumaru tried to shove it down, to no avail. _Shall it always be so? Or does a solution lie within my reach? _The Daiyoukai Lord growled quietly to himself for his inadequacy and began to go about his day, sensing a familiar aura on the horizon.

0-0-0-0-0

Kagome saw very little of Sesshoumaru for the next few days, and most of those times consisted of meals or passing glances of his silver hair in the gardens. Without his ever-steady presence around her, and despite the fact she was feeling rather irritated with him, Kagome found that she actually missed him—and in finding that out, she promptly tripped over a flat surface and fell on her face. Reeling with the new information, she instantly questioned it, and quickly doubted its existence; the days she had left here were dwindling, and as soon as she departed she'd have to deal with it.

Shippou was fast recovering, and begging to be let out of bed each and every hour, unless he was asleep. Ayako had firmly refused until today, and now Shippou clung to her shoulder happily, his nose buried in her hair. Kagome smiled and inhaled the scent she knew as Shippou; slightly deep forest and what she assumed sunlight smelled like. With a grin, she poked him gently in the ribs. "Mama!" He giggled in indignation, and wiggled around.

"What?" Kagome asked, feigning innocence.

"You did that on purpose." He had recovered from his laughter, and was trying extremely hard to sound unimpressed with her. His mama laughed lightly, and Shippou's eyes sparkled at the sound of it. She'd been way too serious, in his opinion, and the sound of her laughter was singing music in his ears.

"Of course not, Shippou, why would I ever do that?" She said in a sing song voice, a smirk on her face.

"I love you, Mama." Kagome almost stumbled at Shippou's words.

"I love you too Shippou." She pulled him off her shoulder and held him close for a moment, then pulled back. "Now, how about we go and meet Rin?" Slowly, she was beginning to understand the twists and turns of each hallway, but still had extreme trouble identifying which turn to take. It reminded her a little of Tokyo and how easy it was to get lost there; instantly she thought of Souta. _Here I am, enjoying this, while Souta could be out running somewhere in the cold. _The thought struck her to her core, sending an icy chill clawing its way up her spine.

_Two more days, and I'll be on my way. _Kagome jumped with sudden realization—Maybe, just maybe, if Sesshoumaru was feeling particularly gracious he might smell the paper, and tell her if Souta had touched it at all. If Inuyasha could scent people on inanimate objects, then Sesshoumaru could too, right? _Maybe I should ask him. _Kagome bit her lip lightly in her pensiveness.

"Ah, my beautiful Kagome! And this is Shippou, correct?" Kenshin had rounded an upcoming corner with a full grin in place, his pointed canines glinting.

Kagome snorted in a rather unladylike manner, and rolled her eyes. "Kenshin. Seriously, your lecherous comments are going to get you killed one day, and I just might be the one to do it." She paused, "Shippou, this is Kenshin. He's kind of like a demon version of Miroku, minus the groping. And this, Kenshin", she gestured from Kenshin to Shippou, "is Shippou, my kitsune pup."

Shippou felt a little rush of happiness go through him at being called Kagome's pup, and puffed his chest out a little as he sniffed the air in Kenshin's direction. He smelled slightly of jasmine and sandalwood, and an ever-present current of Inu. He decided he liked the scent, and nodded slightly. Though this was mostly a kitsune greeting, some Inu used it too, and the gesture was well known among most youkai. "Hi." He smiled shyly.

Kenshin's greeting was much less obvious, but Shippou caught the flaring of his nostrils and the slight nod. To the raven-haired youkai, Shippou smelled heavily of medicinal herbs, but his personal scent was composed of forest leaves and the distinctive scent of kitsune; there was even a strong undercurrent of Kagome's soft scent interwoven with his, which made Kenshin blink in surprise.

Kagome, having missed the youkai formalities, was already deciding her next question. "Where's Rin?" She hadn't seen the young girl all morning.

"She's studying with Jaken today, I believe about mathematics." Kenshin flashed her a winning smile. "How about it, Kagome? Let Shippou and Rin torment Jaken, and we'll steal away before Sesshoumaru finds out."

"Oh, of course! Cause uh, you're not courting Ran, and I don't have a death wish." Sarcasm was so fun to use, and Kagome loved it.

Her genius was obviously lost on Kenshin, which was rather disappointing. "Ah, you accept! I knew you would, my dear Kagome!"

"Shut it, Kenshin, there are children around. And besides, Ran's at the end of the hallway, plotting your doom." She deadpanned, hiding the laughter that threatened to break her focus.

He swung around, only to see a shoe rapidly approaching. "My beautiful face!" He cried as he fell to the floor, Ran's slipper embedded in his face. Shippou giggled.

Kagome let loose a loud laugh, one she felt echo her emotions and was surprised at how good it felt. "Nice aim, Ran."

The youkai woman smiled and dragged Kenshin off, "I never miss!" she crowed triumphantly, leaving Shippou and herself alone in the hallway.

Not a moment later, heavy youki filled the air, making the air thick with its potency. Kagome whirled around to see suspicious, azure eyes that scrutinized her almost as critically as Sesshoumaru.

0-0-0-0-0

The only places that Kikyo had ever traveled to were short distances from Edo and never varied in temperature the way this place did. She knew she was heading South, and by the way the sun beat down on her pale clay body she knew that she was entering a separate climate. Her quiver, full of arrows fletched with swan feathers rattled as she trotted through a copse of leafy trees. Even though most times she wished she had a human body, sometimes being partly immortal came in useful, especially when traveling. Her body never tired.

She'd found in the time that passed since Naraku's death that it wasn't necessary for her to absorb maidens' souls. And, she mused, from a most unlikely source. She'd been wandering, moping really, through Inuyasha's forest when Miroku had approached her tentatively, his soft spoken words calming on her waiting ears. A sense of gratitude filled her chest as she remembered.

_"If I may so presume, Kikyo-sama, I do not think you an intimately evil being." Miroku had said, rolling forward on the balls of his feet as he spoke. _

_ Kikyo met his eyes coolly, silently unsure of his goal. "I have done many despicable things, houshi-sama." This was true, and she knew it; images of despair and terror flashed through her mind._

_ Miroku shook his head. "Please, just Miroku will suit me. And I understand your circumstances; though I wish to pose a question, if I may." Bronze rings on his staff jingled as he moved slightly._

_ Kikyo inclined her head for him to continue._

_ "Ah, you see, I wish to ask a rather personal question." The violet-eyed monk's voice rose and fell in odd places, she noticed. _

_ "Ask your question… Miroku." _

_ Miroku nodded. "I understand that you require the souls of maidens to continue existing, correct?" _

_ Kikyo knew a carefully worded question when she heard one. "It is true." _

_ "Why is that, Kikyo-sama?" She saw no animosity in his face, or his bearing. _

_ To tell honest truth, she was not entirely sure. It was what the soul-stealers gathered, and they sufficed. She told him so, and he nodded thoughtfully. "Have you ever attempted to use other souls? Perhaps the soul of dying animal, or something akin to that?" Miroku paused. "I cannot imagine that you want to steal the souls of young women like my dear Sango or Kagome-sama." _

_ A real spark of interest coursed through her. "Do you believe it possible?"_

_ Miroku nodded. "It might even be possible to extend the time between taking souls in. I spoke of this to the others, and they seemed to share my opinion. Since it is possible your soul still exists on this mortal plane, maybe you could find a way to draw it back to you. I am not completely assured in either theory, but there exists no evidence to disprove it. I do believe we've come to the understanding that Kagome's soul is her own." The evident force behind the tone of his voice conveyed importance. _

_ Kikyo stared at the monk in shock, her lips parted and her breath coming in shallow gasps. __**Would it be possible to be free of this curse? **__"I thank you, Miroku-sama." She bowed low, her eyes pricking with foreign emotion._

_ "Kikyo-sama, there does not always have to be bitterness and anger between yourself and my friends. Sometimes forgiveness is the path to redemption." The monk said softly before bowing to her and turning away, his staff jingling and his humming voice drifting on the forest air. _

_ Silence had followed his gentle remarks, leaving an empty but promising road ahead of her. _

Kikyo had walked that road, and found that moving forward was only as hard as taking the first step.

0-0-0-0-0

Katsumi thought himself a sensible daiyoukai, especially when it came to determining a course of action. That, he knew, was the reason he was chosen so long ago to be Sesshoumaru's second-in-command, his beta so to speak. In light of his abilities and station, he could not fathom for _one second _why his Alpha had invited the purest and most formidable aura he'd ever sensed inside the palace walls. He was not averse to humans, no; rather, humans were averse to him. Especially priests and priestesses, who held a generations-deep hatred for his kind. _And, _he thought, _one is making itself at home in the Western Palace. _Katsumi evaluated the state of the aura, and found it mostly calm, if slightly irritated; which felt to him as if someone was rubbing his fur the wrong way.

He extended his senses outward to make contact with Sesshoumaru's youki, and found him unresponsive, which worried him. Had the aura purified him into a daze?

The aura seemed decidedly feminine, tendrils of her reiki curling in smoky waves around her. A small ball of youki rested underneath her aura. With a burst of his own youki, he propelled himself forward to the palace, bypassing guards and familiar paintings, speeding directly to the woman's position.

Katsumi stared into a pair of deep, soulful brown eyes that gave him pause, threatening words dying in his throat.

"Who are you?" Her voice rang strong and true, those calming strands of reiki disappearing as her defenses went up. Jet black wavy hair hung loosely about her, the locks reaching her waist in some places. She wore a deep blue kimono that clung to her supple curves gently, and her pale skin looked soft enough to nuzzle. Her lips were full, and her cheekbones gave her the look of a queen. Her scent, fresh rain and vanilla, was strangely soothing to his nose. A fierceness in her eyes and a tightening of her arms led his gaze downward to the youki he'd felt earlier. A red haired kitsune with jade green eyes glared at him with the same ferocity.

Katsumi realized the irony of her question a bit late, lost in his examination. "I might ask the same question, Lady…?" He let the subtle question stand.

She snorted. "Kagome." She waved her hand, and Katsumi saw a flash of light. "Don't bother with the titles though; I don't really care for them. Now, who are you?" He had long hair, though not as long as Sesshoumaru's, and it hinted more at an icy blue-silver rather than white, but it still made Kagome jealous. _Stupid youkai and their flawless hair_. His eyes were strikingly blue and bright, probably a perk of being youkai, she mused. He didn't seem old—then again neither did Sesshoumaru—but there was an edge to his features that made Kagome think he was always pondering and observing. A single navy stripe adorned each cheek. His kimono was black and white, with silver trim that swayed as he moved.

The daiyoukai blinked. "Katsumi. I am Sesshoumaru's second in command."

To his surprise, she rolled her eyes. "Of course! Universe, you suck, you know that?" Kagome seemed to glower in Sesshoumaru's direction.

"Mama, he's an Inu." Shippo said from her arms. He met Katsumi's eyes. "You're not going to hurt my mama, are you? 'Cause I'm pretty sure you couldn't." He puffed his chest out, a grin on his face.

Katsumi's mouth dropped.

"Shippo! That's not a very nice thing to say." Kagome admonished. "Do you think you could find Rin from here? I'm sure she'd love to play with you." The kitsune blushed and nodded before scampering off.

Kagome faced Katsumi again, a faint pinkness on her cheeks. "I'm sorry about that, he really is a good boy, but he's just a little… much sometimes."

"You're his mother?" He could have sworn the kitsune was a full-blooded youkai.

"I'd like to say yes, but his parents died a few years ago, and my friends and I have raised him since then. He sort of became my son." The young woman said, her eyes meeting his with a gentle emotion that he couldn't identify.

The daiyoukai was still reeling from Kagome and her youkai son, but had yet to determine her reason for being here. She should have seemed out of place here, but she didn't. In fact, she seemed comfortable here and with Sesshoumaru's presence. "Why are you here?"

His voice was deep, but smooth in a way she'd never heard before. "Sesshoumaru took Shippo and I here a while ago to treat Shippo's illness, and he's still recovering." Kagome explained, and smiled when she mentioned the man she'd been missing these past days.

Katsumi nodded, noticing her clear intelligence and unusual way of speaking. She didn't greet others like a normal human woman with deference and submission. If anything, she reminded him of a proud, independent daiyoukai female. "And how, La—Kagome, did you and Sesshoumaru become acquainted?"

When her laugh rolled through the hall, Katsumi found himself smiling. "Sesshoumaru's half brother, Inuyasha? I traveled with him for a few years, but back then Sesshoumaru and I were enemies. He even tried to kill me a few times, but that didn't work." She laughed again at Katsumi's expression of shock and doubt. _This woman is the Shikon Miko. _"Anyways, after Naraku was gone and so was the Jewel, things quieted down." A wistful edge entered her tone. "Sesshoumaru just kind of showed up again a few weeks ago."

"Katsumi." Sesshoumaru's baritone, cool voice made both of them jump, and Kagome felt her heart skip a beat. He seemed colder than usual, his shoulders just a little squarer. "We will speak after lunch." Katsumi jerked his head forward in a nod stiffly. "And Katsumi", he said softer than before, "It is good to see you."

Sesshoumaru's beta left the hall in a flash of movement, and Kagome was left alone with Sesshoumaru. The silence drew out, neither willing to speak in light of the words exchanged days ago. Sesshoumaru was definitely _not _admiring the way that deep blue complimented her skin tone. "Miko; your presence is required this evening in my study. We have things to discuss before your departure tomorrow." He glanced at the skin of her throat, once again reminded of those alien dreams that caught him so.

Kagome had been caught up in the silver sway of his hair when he murmured his name for her. "Kagome." She corrected absentmindedly, ignoring the way his lingering eyes made her heart flutter. "Tonight?"

Her scent filled his nose. For some reason, listening to Katsumi and the miko's exchange had grated severely on his nerves, and felt the need to intervene. Why that was, exactly, he refused to contemplate. "Hn."

"Hang on!" Kagome exclaimed, and suddenly a sharp spice of anger swirled around her. "You can't just be so normal after what happened the other day!" She crossed her arms. "I understand that this is your palace and all, but people have boundaries, and shoving your youki down someone's throat isn't just crossing that boundary, its squishing it with those black boots of yours!" Her brown eyes flared brightly, and she rested one hand on her hip.

Sesshoumaru was silently stunned at her outburst, but something in the back of his mind told him that he should have expected it. "An explanation will be yours tonight." He met her dark eyes, and felt the slow release of her reiki, brushing calming trails against his youki. He doubted she knew what she was doing, but before that thought occurred to him, he had already returned the gesture.

His golden eyes bored straight into hers as she felt his youki react to her, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. "Sesshou—", She started, intent on pushing her argument.

"I propose this: If I call you by your given name, will you acquiesce to my request, miko?" Sesshoumaru interrupted, exasperated but somehow slightly entranced with the idea of saying her name more often.

Kagome giggled at him, tempted to say that she was 'disinclined'. But, the thrill of his voice was too much of a beautiful idea to pass up, so she nodded.

"I expect you at dusk." The murmur was soft, but his mouth was at her ear and the heat of his breath sent shivers up her spine. He couldn't deny himself the pleasure of hearing her heart stutter in response.

0-0-0-0-0

Thick forest passed by quicker than a human eye could track, and the youkai slowed his pace. The thick scroll from the pale priestess who smelled of clay was situated firmly against an inner kimono, secured by his obi. He had made fully sure that none had followed him; in all his years collecting and amassing knowledge, he had only come across an amulet like the one that woman wore once, and even then it was vague and nondescript, only stating that it was connected with dark and ancient rituals. This fact alone was enough to confirm his fears of a true threat.

With as many possessions as he was able to plausibly carry, mostly various scrolls concerning those same ancient rituals and his personal effects, he made his way to the edges of his pine forest and into the West. He was constantly alert, searching for the aura that would blaze like wildfire on a moonless night; his salvation.

End of Chapter 13 – Guilt

A/N – SO! I hope you enjoyed it, because I loved writing it! I hope it wasn't too much information, and I really hope for reviews and favorites, they keep me alive! Thank you so much! (: asdkfagpoakjho! Sesshy is getting a conscience! xDDD!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N – Here we all are again! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and the heavy notes it brings with it! 7000 words, yay! Inspiration goes to far too many songs to list, so I'll just say one of them was "PonPonPon", and I'm not sure who the artist is. The video is strange... to say the least. But I love it! Anyway, please read and review, and here is Chapter 14! (:

Chapter 14 – Turning Pages  
_"Silence is the mother of truth."__  
__-Benjamin Disraeli_

Kagome checked her hair, smoothing it down in a few places before turning to sit on her bed. Thirty seconds later, she did the same thing again, her stomach full of butterflies. "Oh, Mao, why am I so nervous?" She drummed her fingers on her thigh, marveling at the feel of silk on her skin. She felt self-conscious when she glanced at Mao's flawless skin and silky periwinkle hair, and her lips quirked.

Mao rolled her eyes. "Really, Kagome, I do not see anything to be nervous about. Calm yourself, you're making me feel… prickly." She looked so absolutely _disgruntled _that she'd even had to use that word.

She covered a giggle with her mouth, and instantly reigned in her aura. "Sorry." She muttered, pulling a few wrinkles out of her deep blue kimono. It was lined with silver designs that curved around her body and onto her sleeves; Kagome was delighted to find out it trailed behind her a few inches. Shippouu had practically dragged Rin to come see how beautiful his Mama looked, and when the little girl had seen her, she begged Mao to do her hair. The end result—after much fussing, to Kagome's dismay—was a simple but elegant up-do held in place by a white lotus clip. For some inane reason, Kagome felt some strange anxiety welling up in her as the sun drifted closer and closer to the horizon. It really bothered her, actually. She'd been on dates before, with Hojo and the like—so why was this any different?

Kenshin's voice drifted through the shoji screen, "May I come in? I find myself at a loss of things to keep me entertained."

Crossing her arms, Kagome glared at the screen. "You may, but try anything funny and you'll end up like Shou."

"Ah, but why would I? It seems that Sesshoumaru-sama has become a slight bit protective you." Kenshin sang as he entered the room. He leaned against the wall close to Mao, and a dangerous sparkle entered his eyes.

Kagome felt her heart stumble when Kenshin said Sesshoumaru's name.

"And may I ask why you're looking particularly delectable today?" Kenshin asked with a toothy grin.

Pink covered her cheeks, "Just get out, Kenshin!" Mao growled, shoving him out the door with a good natured laugh. She followed, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.

Something about the way Sesshoumaru's breath had ghosted over the nape of her neck had seemed entirely sensual, and ten times _more _than anything Inuyasha had ever done to her. _Wait! Stop right there Kagome! Stop! Before you even go comparing Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha, maybe you might think about the fact that Sesshoumaru would never, __**ever **__hold emotion toward a miko like you. _The thought left Kagome feeling empty. _But… What about that night when the boar attacked me? His hands… they were so gentle. _The sensation had tingled all the way into her toes, leaving her cheeks flushed. _And when he caught me from falling; why does it seem like he always expects something different from me? _Shaking her head, she found the sun slipping beyond the horizon, and the first hints of night in the Eastern sky.

"Kagome, Sesshoumaru asked me to escort you here." Katsumi's low voice carried through the shoji screen, but he didn't enter. He could smell the anxiety jarring her usual scent, and was reminded of earlier that day when his lord had intervened in their conversation. It seemed as though Sesshoumaru was subconsciously interested in this female, and Katsumi didn't blame him, remembering how lovely she'd looked before.

But, the line between subconscious and conscious thought was clear indeed, and neither Sesshoumaru nor Kagome had yet to cross it.

The young miko felt her heart beat faster, and then tried to calm herself. Losing control in a palace full of sensitive youkai and daiyoukai was never a good option; she tightened the barriers that held her reiki in place.

"You may relax, Lady Kagome." Katsumi's voice breached the tenuous silence that had slipped between them, and even he seemed to be uncomfortable. "I do wish to apologize, for how I behaved at first. I did not know you were a guest of my Lord's, and it appeared to me as though Sesshoumaru-sama was in a daze, so I assumed he had been injured." Katsumi met her eyes briefly as they walked, and the bright blue momentarily startled her.

Kagome shrugged. "It's not a problem; I might have thought the same thing, if I were you." She said in a light tone. "By the way, could I ask you something?"

They rounded another corner, and Kagome recognized a vase centered on a low table. "You may, as long as I may do the same." Katsumi smiled lightly at her surprised expression, and gave a low chuckle. "I am not always serious."

"O-of course." Kagome smiled widely, "Are you in any way related to Sesshoumaru? Or is light hair a common trait among Inu-daiyoukai?" The question had been niggling at her mind since she'd met Katsumi that morning, noting the way his blue-silver hair slipped over the shoulder of his white haori.

Whatever question he'd been expecting obviously wasn't the one that tumbled from Kagome's soft mouth. "Well, Lady Kago—"

"Just Kagome, Katsumi-sama."

"Ah, then I must insist on just Katsumi, Kagome." He said warmly, raising an eyebrow. Kagome smiled, fiddling with the sleeve of her kimono. Before she could say a word, he began again in a lighter tone, "For your first question, no, I am not related by any means to Sesshoumaru-sama. My sire was Masaro, and he was a childhood friend of Inutaisho, who then became Inutaisho's second in command." At the gleam in Kagome's eyes, he added with a grin, "I could tell you more about him another time, if you wish. For your second question, yes, it is common for Inu daiyoukai to have light hair; but there are those among us who have dark or sometimes black hair, like yourself, but they are rare."

Kagome digested the information, her brow furrowing, and then asked another, "Where do they live, the daiyoukai with dark hair?" Kenshin's hair was black; was he one of those unique Inu? What about Mao and Ran? Were they lower-class youkai? She realized that even though she'd traveled back and forth to this place for years, there was still much that remained unknown to her. _I really need to learn more about youkai. _

Katsumi shook his head, but smiled. "Remember our deal, Kagome; I do believe it's my turn." He realized she spoke much differently than the humans who lived in any village he'd ever been to; but to ask that question, he thought, would be too personal. They were fast approaching their destination. "Why don't you fear youkai like myself? When I stopped in front of you, I was half expecting you to faint."

"Well, thanks for that! I'm not _that _much of a baby." Kagome crossed her arms, but was happy that Katsumi wasn't a carbon copy of Sesshoumaru. _Don't get me wrong… Something about Sesshoumaru has been distracting me lately. Who wouldn't be? His eyes are too beautiful not to get lost in. Besides, anytime he's around… anytime I see him, hear him, heck, even sense him, my heart beats a little faster. _Mentally frowning, her thoughts drifted. _Which sucks, because he can probably hear when my heart beats faster. Damn. _"I guess I don't fear youkai much because I've learned to control myself a bit in that respect. In a way, it's also something I learned from Inuyasha."

At Katsumi's raised eyebrows, Kagome laughed. "One of his few finer qualities, yes, but he's never afraid of anything. Except maybe losing the people he loves, but I think that's something to admire." She finished with a soft smile, remembering Inuyasha's protective—and most times annoying—anger when it came to her safety.

"Here we arrive, Kagome-sama." When she turned to glare at him, he put a finger to his lips and pointed to the impressively carved door. "I am glad to have escorted you." He smiled gently and bent at the waist, taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips. The sensation of his lips against her skin tingled. _Kind of like when the blood flows back into your hands. _She mused with an internal giggle.

Katsumi was very, very aware of the hostile youki that Sesshoumaru was projecting, but that happened to be his goal. The beautiful miko in front of him was obviously attracted to his Lord Sesshoumaru, as he was to her; by subtly flirting with her he was forcing Sesshoumaru to become aware of his emotions. Oh, Katsumi knew how his Lord Sesshoumaru operated, and if he could make this wondrously amazing woman happy, then it was worth it. It wasn't as if he minded the taste and feel of her skin, like drinking in fresh rain and sweetness. Her heart stuttered, and Katsumi grinned.

He stepped back and knocked once on the door. "My Lord Sesshoumaru, Lady Kagome is here." The sharp flare of youki was his only answer, and Katsumi opened the door for a suddenly extremely nervous Kagome. Her shining brown eyes met his, and he nodded encouragingly, a bright twinkle in his startling eyes.

From where she stood, Kagome couldn't see Sesshoumaru, but she could feel the crackling energy of his aura, which made her anxious. He hadn't ever seemed that agitated, and she wondered at the cause.

"Sesshoumaru?" She queried softly, and took a few steps into the coolly decorated room. To her right, the shoji screen she knew led to his bedroom was closed, but to her left she found Sesshoumaru seated at a low table. The sight of him sitting so formally stirred something in her, and when she met his eyes and realized they were trained on her, she almost gasped. His armor had been removed, and Tenseiga and Bakusaiga leaned against a bookshelf behind him. The golden amber orbs were focused so intensely upon her she looked away and began to tug on the hem of her silver stitched sleeve.

"I wish to discuss your departure." Sesshoumaru lifted his clawed hand and gestured to a pillow on the floor directly in front of his desk. He knew that she was leaving the morning after this.

"What about it?" Kagome's voice lingered in his ears longer than he cared to admit; it didn't aid him that her scent was permeating everything in the room, he was sure that he'd be able to smell her days after she'd gone. Whether or not that was necessarily bad remained to be seen. She looked… nice, he decided, although begrudgingly. The dark blue she wore fit her well, and he eyed the sweeping curve of her waist with an appreciative eye much too quickly for her to notice—and before his brain told him not to.

The decision he'd made about her departure had only taken him a moment or two. The thought of her traveling alone was disturbing to him, for reasons he wished not to explore. He reasoned the waste if she and her kitsune perished, but his instincts told him otherwise, though he dared not listen. Folding his hands into his haori, he waited for her to sit on pillow. When she turned her eyes to him, he felt her reiki settle around her comfortably. Unlike most reiki, hers calmed and soothed, leaving tender warmth behind. It called out to a softened side of him that had been smothered for so very long, he wondered how it had survived.

"You will take Ah-Un with you." He folded his hands on his lap, looking every bit the stoic, coolly businesslike daiyoukai he was. There was a steely weight in his eyes.

Kagome blinked once. "I—what?"

"He shall accompany you to your destination, and stay until I fetch him." He paused, quite aware that she might deny his offer due to her silly qualms. "It will quicken the time of your journey." With his council members seemingly under targeted attack, he could not risk leaving the West without its Lord.

She appeared confused; her lips twisted an odd way. A light blush colored her cheeks. "I don't know what to say." Really, what do you say to such a gesture? He clearly had no need to ensure her and Shippou's safety.

His eyebrow twitched. "A thank you might suffice, Kagome."

Blushing furiously, she thanked him again with a nervous laugh and bent slightly at the waist. Quickly considering her situation, she realized that Sesshoumaru's actions were singular in their nature. To her knowledge, he'd never offered so much to a human woman—or anyone. "Sesshoumaru?"

Silently amused, Sesshoumaru continued with his little game and countered; "Kagome." The rapid-fire staccato of her heartbeat pounded in his ears, begging him to attempt things that he dared not explore.

Said woman raised her eyebrows, and for a moment Sesshoumaru thought she'd caught on. Then she pointedly averted her gaze, pulling at the hem of her kimono sleeve. The daiyoukai fought the urge to still her hands. "What was wrong the other day?"

He had thought much about what he would tell her, this much was true. It had plagued his mind for days, wracking him with indecision and a strange sense of disquiet. He had not honestly slept since his arrival, when she had invaded upon his quarters. Now, with night fast approaching, his original plan seemed faulty, inadequate for the presence whose aura so gently filled the room, just like her scent. It soothed tension in his shoulders as he breathed. The same twisting, wrenching feeling still clamored for attention within him, demanding a solution that seemed so very easy to achieve.

Gracefully unfolding his legs and standing, he slid Bakusaiga and Tenseiga into his obi and tied the knots that kept them in place. "Come." He murmured, highly conscious that he was abandoning his earlier strategy. Sliding the shoji screen to his bed chamber aside, he heard Kagome's heart beat a little louder, and fought the urge to smirk.

Why did he have to be so darn perfect? The perfect synch of his movements made her feel like an awkward duck as she stood, waiting for him to lead her out of his room. Hadn't she asked for an explanation? Oh, yes, just before she'd caught herself staring at Sesshoumaru's hair… and maybe his legs. Darn it. When he moved the shoji screen that led to his bed, she couldn't help but feel a heavy surge of butterflies in her stomach. "Wh—", Kagome inwardly cursed at the higher octave of her voice and cleared her throat. "Where are we going?"

Of course, Sesshoumaru didn't answer her; he simply led her around the bed and pushed another screen aside, this one leading to a darkened hallway. It was lit by only the dying light of day, tinting the walls a pastel pink. When he turned around, Kagome stopped a little slowly, eye level with a bright red flower on his kimono. "Oh, oop—", She scrambled back, only to be pulled flush against his chest.

"Kagome." His voice was deep, dark, and whispered across her skin just as it had earlier that day. She shuddered, and felt the gentle pressure of his hand on her waist.

He dipped his head to her hair, enjoying the saturated scent of her for a secret moment. He was quite unprepared for the simple pleasure it brought him to say her name, and let the sensation roll over him in little waves before leaning back.

"What are we doing?" Kagome asked worriedly as he stepped outside, still keeping her close to him. The only other time he'd held her this way was when he flew. She glanced down, and felt the floor slip away as Sesshoumaru lifted them into the air, a slight spark in his eye that hinted at amusement.

He did not answer her. Without any forward thought, his current plan made it harder for him to think of suitable responses, especially when he had never done anything of the sort before. His grounds shrank as they gained elevation, and he felt her small hands fist in his kimono. Acting only on instinct, he let one of his hands rest hesitantly on the small of her back. Her heart skipped a beat, and Sesshoumaru fought a small grin.

His hands were warm, hot even through the heavy layers of silk she wore. It gave her a pleasant shock, despite her fear at being _so_ high up in the air and with only Sesshoumaru as her saving grace if she fell somehow. Even with the weather being cold as it was, Sesshoumaru's body generated enough heat to be a small volcano.

"I wish to show you something." The murmur of his voice played on her nerves again, and she almost forgot to ask him what he wanted to show her.

"What is it?" Minutes passed, or so she thought. It could have been hours. She glanced around them to see him angling upwards, toward a rocky outcropping just barely dusted with snow.

He landed without a sound, and slowly ushered Kagome forward. "Look." He rumbled, his left hand settling on her lower back again.

Kagome turned her eyes to the valley below. The sun was long gone, slumbering before its return in early morning. Stars glittered and shone in the dark sky, and a white moon hung low near the horizon, barely skimming the naked branches of hibernating trees. Silver light cast long, sharp shadows that threatened to overtake the world in blackness. Snow greedily shimmered in the bright light, reflecting the moon's glow with harsh beauty. Fir trees towered over their deadened cousins, the silent guardians of a sleeping hollow.

The Daiyoukai Lord watched Kagome's face with thinly veiled interest, seeing her eyes scan over the ground below them. Her hair seemed to absorb the darkness, while the silvery light cast gentle shadows over her skin. Her lips were parted, and her scent verged on intoxicating.

"This is so beautiful." Kagome whispered, afraid that speaking would break the fragile spell cast over the valley. She glanced at him, and found his eyes warm. Sesshoumaru was not a man of words, she knew. By taking her here, what was he accomplishing?

There was a certain questioning quality to his eyes that was almost tentative, but controlled to an extent. His fingers were light, barely touching the silk of her kimono. He was holding himself away, as if in wait.

_Oh. _Kagome blinked, understanding. She leaned back into his hand, and returned to staring out at the valley, feeling a small smile claim her lips. She had not expected his apology to come in such a vague form, but she appreciated it more than she expected, and the rush of happiness that she felt almost made her dizzy. _He cares enough to do this._

Sesshoumaru felt the weight on his chest leave him as she settled back against his hand, the raw, screeching-iron emotion washing away to be replaced with strange warm silence.

He tested the new feeling, rolled it around and inspected it with scrutiny. _Is this contentment? _Her warm reiki settled about them; she was subconsciously encasing them both in a protective cocoon, much the same as she did with Shippou.

She was silently observing the scene, her eyes bright with an emotion unknown to him and her lips curved upward. For him, time had ceased to hold much meaning centuries ago, and only recently had he begun to appreciate the fragility of mortal life. Little girl though she was, Rin brought tumultuous change to his otherwise frighteningly repetitive life. It was curious, he mused, that a being whose life spanned only a fraction of his could be the catalyst for such a transition and still remain so very precious to him.

Standing atop the stony peak, Sesshoumaru realized that the very woman aside him had coveted a space of her own in his life.

She shivered, and without any forward thought, he eased his hand around her waist and gently tugged her closer to him. _What has occurred to make me react in such a way?_

Kagome felt butterflies assault her stomach as his arm tucked her into his side, and she fought hard not to giggle aloud at the sensation.

"It is late." His voice came, a rough whisper.

_How long have we been here? _"Could I ask you something?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "You have." He pointed out dryly.

"It's a serious question, Sesshoumaru." Kagome said, knowing full well that she was entering dangerous territory.

He reluctantly allowed her to slip out of his grasp, and met her eyes with a slow nod.

Without the warmth of his body, she suddenly felt the icy cold of the night, and gripped the tops of her arms. "Rin excluded, why do you reject humans and hanyou?

Unprepared, he let her question hang for a moment. "It is not a hate I feel. To my senses, human settlements are repulsive, pungent concentrations of disease and filth, and a cacophony of pointless prattle that assaults my ears." He paused, and Kagome wondered at the strangely pensive expression on his face. "While one human alone may be capable of reason and adequate intelligence, humans together are bumbling, idiotic creatures that lack the capacity to overwhelm prejudice or accomplish forward movement."

His eyebrows drew together. "Hanyou are not. They are simply hybrids of human and demonic blood. My dislike of them is limited to Inuyasha." He glanced down at her, and saw that she was fully entranced by his words.

"If I wished him dead, he would be." Sesshoumaru said, his tone dripping venom as he remembered his last encounter with the hanyou.

Kagome frowned. She had tried to warn him, but he had shunned her aid, and cast her aside. He was most likely sitting in the top of a barren tree with his arms crossed, thinking about how to best search for Kikyo. "He has a strong heart."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "You would protect him?"

Scrunching her nose, she shook her head. "I hate what he said, but I understand him. He can figure out on his own what he did was wrong." She was unsure of where her and Inuyasha's relationship stood at the moment, and it worried her to think that he might actually find Kikyo. _I hope you know how to hide yourself, Kikyo. _

He appraised her words, mulling them over. "You and Inuyasha were involved, correct?"

She blinked. "We were, a long time ago, but not anymore." She stared at him quizzically. "Why do you ask?"

_How dense is Inuyasha's skull? I should like to find out someday, if only for the purpose of thinning it out tremendously… and perhaps violently. _Sesshoumaru thought with irritation. Even if he was utterly dull on occasion, what Sesshoumaru had discovered only lowered his already weak esteem for Inuyasha.

"He is truly the fool, then." He said softly, taking Kagome up in his arms again to raise them into the air.

"Oh." Kagome responded, a light flush covering her cheeks. She huddled closer to his chest to keep warm and rested her forehead against him. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru."

By now, Sesshoumaru had lost count of the thank-yous she had sent his way, but this one he secretly kept closer than the others and let himself enjoy the gentle cadence of her voice. "You are welcome, Kagome."

0-0-0-0-0

In the time it took Sesshoumaru to return a drowsy Kagome to her room, the palace had gone silent, most of its inhabitants resting for the night. His feet making naught a sound against the aged wood flooring, he made his way to the study, settling his youki over the grounds as he did so. Not only did his aura repel would-be invaders, he could sense whenever a human or youkai entered or exited the area.

As he slid the shoji screen into the study open, he found Katsumi relaxing on one of the plush cushions that were placed in front of a low-set desk. He let the silence fall over them as he arranged Bakusaiga and Tenseiga before sitting down. Upon his desk lay scrolls of paper, neatly arranged into differing levels of importance. At the center rested a single scroll, and scrawled across it rested the names of his deceased counsel members, and underneath each a detailed report of the circumstances surrounding them. Saburou and Noboru, who were both elder members of his counsel and each offering millennia of experience, proved invaluable to his inner circle. Losing two left them with five, and new members would have to be elected by the counsel and himself.

He would have to prepare a formal ceremony to honor their lives, which would take at least a week to execute fully. And then there was the matter of calming his subjects, and the other members of the counsel. Further still laid the mystery of their deaths, and how to handle those who had so blatantly challenged him.

"If nothing is done soon, there will be opposition." Katsumi pointed out, finishing his train of thought aloud and raising a claw to point at Bakusaiga.

Sesshoumaru quickly scanned the report. "Saburou was caught with a blade in his heart. There were no scents?"

His beta frowned. "None to speak for, even though he had been only two days dead."

_Strange. The heightened senses of a daiyoukai can pick up scents from long before then. It is not realistic. _And yet, with the report coming from Katsumi, he believed.

"Noboru?"

"Entire estate burnt to ashes and nothing more. If not for the absence of scent, I would have thought it was a separate occurrence. It is reasonable to assume that the deaths may be connected in some way." Katsumi explained, seeming troubled by his own meanderings.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Did you speak to any of the surrounding youkai?"

"Nothing relevant concerning Saburou, but the youkai living near Noboru reported smelling something strange before the smoke reached them." Even with a strange scent, it was not enough to provide sufficient evidence. "Said it smelled like death."

"Baser youkai are superstitious." He dismissed it, knowing that many less powerful youkai were more wary of strange phenomenon and often times let it cloud their judgment.

"They claim it was a scent that made their skin crawl."

Scanning his memory, the only thing he could recall smelling of death was Naraku himself. Like rotting flesh and dust left in a damp room.

"Anything else?"

"No. It is not much." His words were rueful, bitter, and his eyes smoldered with anger. Noboru had been a close friend of his.

Considering the evidence, he placed it aside for later scrutiny. "Tell the servants to prepare a ceremony to be held in five days' time, and alert the other members of the counsel that I will convene with them tomorrow night."

Katsumi gave a short nod. "They will have words about Kagome."

Sesshoumaru ignored the slight twinge of annoyance he felt. "Let them. None would be able to best her." He all but growled.

Blue-tinged silver brows rose. "I understand her aura is immense, but to put such faith in her is folly." Katsumi said quietly. "She has not the bearing of a trained miko."

He had seen her channel energy into her fingertips, a fact obviously lost upon his second and something he had never witnessed before. "To assume is _folly._" Sesshoumaru countered, his voice low and soft with challenge.

Letting the issue drop, Katsumi stood and bowed before adopting a predatory grin. "To allow such a_ delectable_ creature to slip through your fingertips is folly, my Lord." Oh, he knew. The line that drew his lord and Kagome apart was blurring, if only for the moment. He sped out the door, eager to escape the crushing force of Sesshoumaru's youki. Perhaps provoking him so might not have been the best of ideas, but he was sure that no matter what he did, Kagome would be a permanent fixture in his lord's life. He could feel it in his bones whenever they stood in even the same room; a persistent hum of energy, fizzling just below the surface.

0-0-0-0-0

"Miroku, do you sense that?" Sango was on her feet, and reaching for her Hiraikotsu as she stared at the forest. It had been a lonely few days without Kagome and Shippou, strangely even more so without Inuyasha and Kikyo. They'd busied themselves with doing errands for Kaede, having little else to do with their time due to the weather. Sango was enjoying the time she had with Miroku, but there was a certain hollow quality to her life now that she had no one to train during the day. It was a weird thing not to hear Shippou's airy laughter. She felt out of focus.

Staff jingling, Miroku stood and faced the tree line with her. "I do, dear Sango." He stood unusually silent, his brows drawn together in concentration. Kirara landed aside them and transformed, a low growl issuing from her throat.

"You don't think it's Sesshoumaru with Kagome, do you?" To tell the honest truth, Sango was worried about Kagome. She was so very far away—if anything were to happen, there was little they could do, especially against a daiyoukai like Sesshoumaru.

"No, I would have felt Kagome's reiki by now. Even so, it does not feel overly hostile." Despite his words, Miroku dug his staff into the ground with a dull thud.

Sango nodded tersely and wished she wore her armor. She'd long since stored it in Kaede's hut with the absence of much demonic activity, but still practiced with her Hiraikotsu and katana religiously. Gripping the coarse fabric that bound her weapon, she hefted it onto her shoulder and strode forward.

"Shall we see if he explains himself?" Miroku rubbed his hands together and fingered the few sutras he had stored in his sleeve, reciting prayers in his mind as he followed Sango and Kirara.

Though the sounds of the forest were usually deadened by the cold, the stranger's approach caused a strange melody to rise; the calling of birds hidden in the branches, screeching warnings to each other in rough, grating calls. It lasted almost a minute before they all fell eerily silent, only to be echoed by the deep croaking of ravens. A flock of sparrows launched out of the trees and flitted away.

Miroku glanced at Sango, and found her pulling Hiraikotsu higher upon her shoulder as she glared at the forest.

Out of the barren tree line rose a large golden eagle, wheeling upwards with its wings spread wide at an unfathomable speed. It loosed a shrill, clear cry and tucked its wings in before speeding towards them. "Sango—"

Just before the eagle reached them, it flared its wings and landed gently upon a high branch, its golden-orange eyes surveying them with unnerving keenness and scrutiny.

Stepping out from the trees, a thin male figure slowly approached. The golden eagle alighted on his shoulder with a flap of its wings. He wore a deep moss-green haori and hakama that were trimmed in a fine line of gold, and a hood hung low over his face. Simple deep brown armor covered his body. A heavy pack and bow rested upon his back, and a quiver full of arrows fletched with tawny feathers rattled with his movement. At his hip swayed a katana, its scabbard dark ebony. His feet seemed to skim the ground as he walked, and as he neared them he flicked his hood back with a twist of his wrist. His claws were curved, and deepened to black at their tips.

"I am searching for a miko named Kagome." The light tone of his voice shocked both Sango and Miroku. His eyes were just as striking as the eagle's, if not more so because there was an alien intelligence lurking just behind them. A ramrod straight nose led to the firm line of his mouth, which turned down at the corners. His jaw was sharp and his chin narrow, and his head was tilted at such an angle that Sango immediately thought of the eagle perched upon his shoulder.

His hair was the same shade as the feathers that fletched his arrows, almost golden in the bleak sunlight. It hung loose, the straight locks layered down past his shoulder-blades. "Do you know of her?" He stopped a few yards away.

Miroku remained still, but adopted a friendly smile. "And what need do you have for locating her, hm?"

"I seek solace; and to deliver a letter." Her strange scent still hung in his brain, reminding him of soil and death.

"From whom do you seek solace?" Sango asked, her voice hard and unyielding.

The eagle let loose a sharp cry, and Kirara hissed. "Of that I am unsure. A woman smelling of death approached me wearing a strange amulet, one that I know to be associated with ancient and powerful rituals."

"Kikyo-sama?" Miroku echoed confusedly, and shot a glance to Sango, who blinked. "I believe there is much we can learn from each other, but only if Edo is left unharmed."

The male gave a bow. "You have my word." He took a step forward.

The monk smiled then, and gestured to Sango and Kirara. "That lovely woman is Sango. Kirara is her companion, and I am Miroku, a humble monk."

Sango glared at him.

"I am Osamu." He said with such solemnity that Sango raised a brow. "This is Miu." He raised his arm up, and the eagle leapt onto it—she noted now that the armor on his forearms was scarred and scratched from the eagle's talons.

Said eagle cocked her head and leaned forward, inspecting them with bright, suspicious eyes. "She is a beautiful creature." Miroku said, a curious gleam in his eye.

Seeming to understand she was being flattered, Miu preened and ducked her beak into her feathers, puffing her chest out.

Osamu chuckled. "She's a proud bird."

Miu grasped a strand of his hair and tugged on it in response before flying back into the trees with an almost indignant cry.

Sango blinked at the whole scene. "She's very smart, too."

Orange-gold eyes turned to her. "Kirara is just as smart, I'm predicting."

"Indeed she is." Kirara purred and shrank; leaping into Miroku's waiting arms.

"Now, I must ask again. It is important." Osamu pulled a scroll from underneath his armor, bound with a white tie that both Sango and Miroku recognized as the same one Kikyo used. "I am to deliver this to Kagome, and I was told she may be able to aid me."

Miroku ushered Osamu forward, toward Kaede's hut. "She has not returned yet, I am afraid. She left a few days ago to seek aid for her kitsune—by Lord Sesshoumaru's personal invitation."

"Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands and first son of Inutaisho?" He recited it so quickly and so formally that it sounded like he was reading directly from a scroll.

"Yes, him." Miroku paused. "However, we are unsure of when Kagome-sama will return. It depends on Shippou."

"Will she return at all?" Osamu knew of Sesshoumaru's reputation, and wondered how a human woman could survive alone in a palace full of youkai and daiyoukai.

"Of course she will!" Sango bit out, feeling her doubts clawing at her.

"I… do not frequently associate with others besides Miu, and it is difficult to know where boundaries lie." Osamu said, orange eyes seeming truly regretful. As they approached the village, his curious eyes slid over the small huts and shops that dotted the center.

Miroku remained silent, at a loss for what to say, and led them to Kaede's hut. "Have ye brought me those herbs I asked for? It's been nearly an hour!" The elderly woman griped, and ignored Osamu's presence.

Adopting a wide grin, Miroku fumbled for an excuse. "Our apologies, Kaede-sama, we encountered a visitor that seeks Kagome."

Sango shook her head and sighed, leaning her Hiraikotsu on the wall of the hut. It was nearing mid-afternoon, and the sun was already falling quickly to the horizon.

"Seeks Kagome, you say?" Kaede turned to Osamu—who had been about to introduce himself—and squinted at him with her good eye and jabbed him in the chest with a gnarled finger. "So it's already started, hm?" She all but whispered to herself in a hoarse voice. She fumbled around with a few things, rearranging them on a shelf as she regained her bearings.

Miroku and Sango had not heard her admonition, leaving Osamu to wonder in her wake. Had that woman been the catalyst for such a chain of events that the priestess Kaede knew of it? Hundreds of prophecies filtered through his mind, each connecting to the situation at hand in some way. _But which is the one I search for?_ Osamu had learned at a young age that his capability for information retention was extraordinary, and could recite any given scroll from top to bottom in perfect tandem with the scroll itself. His mind acted almost as a large information base that was constantly expanding, growing, and reshaping. _A woman smelling of death, an extremely powerful priestess, and an old woman. _Names were unreliable, and varied much. _What pieces are missing in this equation? _

"What did she tell you?" The old woman's gruff voice whispered as Sango and Miroku spoke to each other.

Inquisitive eyes fell upon the woman who knew more than she let on. If he could wrest a few answers from her, perhaps the complicated game of fate would unravel itself further. "Only directions to this village, and that my pride was not worth dying for." Her words had haunted him, nipping at his heels like a ravenous animal just waiting for him to stop and catch his breath.

"I see. Then it began much sooner than expected." The elderly priestess sighed loudly. "Will ye relay a message to Kagome for me?" She glanced at Miroku and Sango to make sure they were still ensconced in their conversation. Her eye was closed, and she took a great breath as her shoulders sagged.

Osamu raised a golden brown eyebrow. _This woman expects to die before the message can be received. _He realized, and nodded. If this was his part to play, then so be it.

"The woman named Kaede leaned forward, and in a heavy whisper that called upon wispy tendrils of memory, she recited, "_A tainted god's wrath, when death's perfection flies amiss, to continue her destined path, tell dear Kagome this: A friend may lie where the sun glares hardest." _

Something heavy pressed upon his senses, and his scalp prickled. He could hear Miu screeching a warning, her cries sharp and piercing.

Kaede made to turn away from him. "And remember, that message is only to reach her after the verse, lest ye want the world to burn." Something about her words made even his inner beast shudder with foreboding.

The weight pressed further on him, and suddenly he found it difficult to move. The others seemed not to have this problem, and were continuing friendly banter. The prickling of his scalp had increased to cover his body in gooseflesh, and his pupils dilated. Whatever this power was, it was suffocating him with inexorable force and causing his breath to come short.

"—as I was saying, Sango, it was simply a suggestion, not anything I would really attempt, especially on one with a backside such as you—", The monk's words were cut off with a loud thump.

"No."

Kaede seemed to take notice of his frozen form, and rough chuckle escaped her lips. "Kagome has returned." Her eye still seemed haunted, as if speaking those eerie words earlier had taken all of her energy.

Just then the mat covering the doorway flung open, and Osamu found himself facing brown eyes and glowing white fingertips that were less than an inch from his nose. Her power reminded him of a hot coal, emanating such heat that he felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. _Fascinating. I've never encountered any being that could wield power in their fingertips in such a way. I wonder how she accomplished it—perhaps I should ask her. When I am not at her mercy, that is._

"Sango, who is he?" Her voice was clear and strong.

"He's not here to hurt us, Kagome. He has a letter for you, actually."

Looking abashed, she lowered her hand and let the power fade from existence. The pressure upon his aura dissipated as well, to be replaced with her centralized reiki that gently cast tendrils of soothing energy this way and that. _That is also fascinating—it's as if her soul is casting off excess energy that has nowhere else to go. No wonder this woman was to provide a safe haven; she has incredible talent already, and still much room to increase her abilities._

"I'm sorry about that, I had no idea who you were." She smiled brightly, and Osamu was momentarily blinded by her cheerfulness. "My name is Kagome, and this is Shippou." A small kitsune with red hair popped up from her shoulder, his emerald eyes sparkling with amusment.

"Jeez, mama, you really scared him!" He crowed triumphantly.

"I am Osamu." He felt a spur of excitement in his gut when he placed the scroll in her hands. She fingered the white tie, her eyes flashing to his expectantly. "The letter I bring, I am told, is from a woman named Kikyo. I shall explain more once you have read it."

"Kikyo?" She echoed with a quiet gasp. Her fingers were quick, slipping off the tie to unroll the letter with hasty movements and a sense of urgency that made a coil of fear unravel itself like a serpent in Osamu's belly. _What has been unleashed upon this world? _

End of Chapter Fourteen – Turning Pages

A/N – Please review! Thank you so much for reading this story, and I hope you enjoyed it! See you next time! (:


	15. Chapter 15

A/N – GRAH! THANK YOU ALL SO FREAKING MUCH FOR BEING SUCH AWESOME PEOPLE! Shout out to **Rocketfist**, who knocked me upside the head (it was bound to happen xD) and got me going on this again. Please enjoy! Read and Review, because I really really appreciate it! Inspiration for this chapter goes—strangely—to the game "Darksiders II", and to my little brother, with whom awesome conversations are a continuous event. Thanks again you all! AND PLEASE! Don't hesitate to ask questions or message me! Enjoy! **WARNING—GORE IN THIS CHAPTER.**

Chapter Fifteen – Turning Pages: Part Two  
_"Where there is a lock, there is a key."  
-Death._

Thunder boomed, echoing through the castle's hallways and vibrating in the aged wood. It roused a drowsy, grumpy Sesshoumaru from slumber, and he rolled over with a low curse, throwing a bare left arm over his eyes. The rumbling thunder sounded again, this time longer and closer. It was late morning, verging on midday.

His sleep-mussed brain took only a moment to realize that it wasn't thunder, but Kagome and the children running to and fro throughout the halls. _No wonder Mother disliked humans in the early mornings. _Yawning widely, he dressed himself quickly, thoughts absorbed with Kagome's departure. It gave him a semblance of peace that she would be taking Ah-Un with her, but there still remained a festering gap in his chest that clenched strangely whenever he pondered upon what would befall her.

Strategic demon he was, Sesshoumaru had taken precautionary measures to ensure her safe arrival to Edo. If nothing else, he had his pride and honor, and allowing a miko and her adopted kitsune to perish just after leaving his care seemed a waste. _**Though it is much more than a simple 'waste', for you know that resources are unlimited to you, Sesshoumaru of the West. **_

Blinking in silent surprise, the comment went untested. His own eyes reflected out from a mirror on the wall, ornately carved with a golden bird on each side. The deep indigo of his crescent moon shone on his brow, a lasting symbol of his mother's familial legacy. His stripes acquired a ragged edge, reaching further around his cheekbones.

_**I may become silent, but I am never gone.**_

_It has always been thus. What is it you want? _

He felt the inner part of himself uncoil within, making his skin itch and his eyes glint. Speaking with his own instincts proved often times extremely circular and pointless. Inhaling, he found the scents of Rin, Kagome, and her kitsune Shippou fluctuating in the air.

There was hesitation that roiled in the beast, and Sesshoumaru leapt upon it. His claws lengthened. _**Not I, but we…**_

Its presence faded, and Sesshoumaru watched his eyes return from blood-red to gold. Combing a claw through his messy locks, he padded back and forth in his rooms. It had been long since he had assumed his true form, and the absence was wearing him thin. His skin felt too tight and far too sensitive for his liking, as the silken hakama and haori he wore tingled and rubbed his nerves raw. Were he not meeting with others today, he would not have dressed at all to save himself the discomfort. Then again, however, if that were the case he would have transformed by now.

Seeing as neither walking about in the nude or as a towering canine were probable options, he would have to endure, at least until Kagome left._ The shades of red her cheeks would flush. _The thought was tempting, to a degree.

Sighing through his nose, he slid Tenseiga and Bakusaiga into his obi and tied his hair in a low knot at the nape of his neck. Today he would spar with Katsumi, and as much as he hated to keep it in such a way, losing his hair was unacceptable. He had kept it long for centuries, and it was as much a part of him as his own skin. He could scarcely remember when his hair was short; it was almost an Inu trait to keep one's hair long, and it was a rare thing to find one with cropped hair like Kenshin. Even Inuyasha kept his hair long, though he did little to care for it.

Stepping out of his room and his mental musings, Sesshoumaru followed the sound of pounding footsteps to an empty hall, with two doors on the left and three on the right. He waited patiently.

Not a moment later, Rin tumbled out from the farthest door on the left, her cheeks red and flushed from exertion. She glanced around, then saw him and ran over, hugging his legs. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Allowing a small smile to grace his lips, he placed a tender hand on her head. "Rin."

"We're playing a game Kagome-chan taught us!" She turned her face up at him excitedly. "It's called hide-and-seek! One person counts to ten, and everyone else hides!" She was whispering loudly. "Hurry, come with me!"

She tugged him along and through the door to his right, her tiny hand gripping only two of his fingers. Of course it would be the miko's idea. _It is clear to see why she attracts danger so. _Taking Rin up in one arm, he lifted them to the rafters above and crouched on a beam.

"Is this sufficient?" He asked, and readjusted her to sit upon the rafters aside him, his mokomoko holding her around her middle.

She was grinning gleefully. "Kagome-chan will never find me up here! Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Her toothy smile made his chest warm, and his lips turned up slightly. "Hnn." He surveyed the area; it was a small guest room, with a low-set futon against the far wall and a small dresser aside it. Another screen led to a small washing room. Sesshoumaru could sense that Kagome was not using her powers to find the children, but Shippou's nose and ears would find them easily. It was a simple matter to slow his own heartbeat, but Rin could not. He could hear it and feel it on his fingertips, frantically thrumming with her excitement.

Kagome had found Shippou with a delighted laugh, and they were both actively searching for Rin now, ducking in and out of each room in the hallway.

Rin froze when they entered their current room, and Sesshoumaru felt amusement tug the corners of his mouth up. Kagome had regrettably changed out of her kimono, and wore those strange, tight-fitting hakama that she so enjoyed and knee high boots. A light-colored shirt covered her torso, accentuating the supple curves of her body. Her ebony hair swung freely, masking her face from view as she moved about the room. "She's got to be in here somewhere." She slid the shoji screen that led to the wash room aside.

Shippou bounded in a moment later, his eyes immediately going to their hiding spot. Finding himself in an odd mood, Sesshoumaru lifted a single finger to his lips, cautioning the kitsune to remain silent. His eyes widened before he nodded, a playful grin on his face, and made to 'search' the room.

Kagome huffed. "We searched all the other rooms, right?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, she wasn't there!" Shippou pointed out, busying himself with checking underneath the dresser to hide his grin.

"Oh, good idea Shippou!" Kagome dropped to her knees then, and bent forward to stare underneath the futon. "I don't see her…"

Rin was fighting laughter, a small hand pressed against her mouth and her eyes shining bright.

To say that he wasn't finding a new aspect of her to appreciate would be a blatant lie, he realized, as his eyes swept over her backside and the sweet curve of her waist. He could clearly remember the last time he'd seen a woman nude—but even the memory of bare skin could not compare to the view she was unconsciously granting him now. Some part of him vaguely wondered if her skin would taste like she smelled, and he could feel the beast stir in response.

With a mental shake, Sesshoumaru tore his eyes away from her. She scuffled backwards on the floor, and flopped onto her bottom. "I don't know where she could have gotten to!" She sighed loudly, and tilted her head back to pull her hair away from her face.

Her mouth became a perfect 'o' as she spotted them. Her cheeks flushed pink when she met his gaze, and she quickly averted her eyes; her heartbeat fluttered erratically for a moment.

"You found me!" Rin yelled with laughter, and he lowered them both to the ground. She tackled Kagome, who began to tickle her sides. The kitsune jumped in, his small fingers going for Kagome's neck. Sesshoumaru watched them tangle about on the floor, a gentle peace surrounding him. A curious noise escaped the miko, and her body seized up as she tried to keep herself away from Shippou's hands. It was all in vain, though, because he had found her weak spot—a loud, unfettered laugh escaped her as he tickled her.

"Rin, get her neck!" Shippou said as Kagome twisted around, her body convulsing with uncontrollable laughter. His eyes caught the bare skin of her throat, and he briefly thought of that strange dream, where she was his… The memory of her hips in his grasp caused a strange lurch in his heartbeat.

Sesshoumaru watched with a raised brow, and carefully stored the new information away with a smirk. "Okay! Okay! You win!" She gasped breathlessly between giggles.

The children crowed enthusiastically. A pit of discomfort wormed its way into his stomach. What would Rin do after Kagome and her kitsune left? Perhaps he would visit her in the future, if only to keep Rin happy. _**You lie.**_

_Silence._

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome was speaking to him, he realized belatedly. Rin and Shippou had run off, having been called by Kenshin, most likely to guide them to Ah-Un. Her cheeks were red, and her brown eyes made him remember the dreams he'd spend countless hours trying to forget. Her hair was splayed haphazardly across her face, partially covering her eyes.

It_ irked_ him.

Raising a hand, he brushed the offending strands away and combed them behind her ear, his claws dragging pleasantly through her soft hair. Her eyes glimmered in the light. _Much better._

Only when he saw Kagome's blushing cheeks did he realize what he'd done. Blindly, he fumbled for an excuse, desperate to keep the rising heat from his cheeks.

"I could not see your eyes." He muttered, momentarily fascinated by the sconce on the wall.

Well prepared for an accusation, Sesshoumaru was surprised when he felt a finger jab him in the chest. "Hey, I'm over here, you know." Her voice was light, and her smile lighter. Her heartbeat hammered in her chest, and Sesshoumaru almost forgot his near-embarrassment in place of the apparent effect he had on her.

"Anyway, I was thinking about something." She faltered, and Sesshoumaru's eyes were instantly on hers.

"Well done." He retorted, a small smirk flirting with his lips. He watched her turn a new shade of red.

She spluttered, struggling to find her words. "You—", her voice was an outraged growl, and muttered something unintelligible under her breath. Hands on her hips, she squared him down with her gaze. "Were you going to say goodbye?"

Silence fell between them, and he tilted his head. "I shall see you again." Rin said much the same thing when he they parted, but he had not quite fully grasped the concept. "What is the purpose?"

He noted she was nervous—her scent was spiking and her reiki was almost twitchy with suppressed movement. "I wanted to speak with you before I left. I owe you a debt." She was fierce, her usually smiling lips pursed in a serious line.

His mind recoiled from the notion. "No, you do not."

"Yes, I _do_." She shot back, unwilling to allow his statement to pass.

Sesshoumaru blinked. "Shall I propose a compromise?" He asked, seeing opportunity raise its head.

"Anything." She affirmed, crossing her arms.

"Hone your skills." He could ensure some of her safety this way. "Without a hand to guide it, a sword is useless."

To his surprise, she bowed slightly at the waist. "I will."

Satisfied, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her back, and gently pushed her in the direction of the West's entrance. "Come." She had much to learn, but he knew that with time, she would improve.

* * *

"Your death was necessary, I'm afraid." A voice whispered regretfully, rasping like the steel of her dagger sliding back into its sheath. A middle-aged woman, dressed in priestess robes, lay sprawled on the floor, her face pale and her body convulsing with every gurgling breath she dragged through her lungs. A hand clutched at her chest, where deep burgundy blood flowed between the bone-white of her fingers.

Red eyes stared down at her, and the woman's voice was as warm as the blood pouring out of her. "I'm making a perfect world, you see. One without the taint of those vile demons every which way I turn." She leaned down and smoothed the dying woman's hair with a small hand. "Your part has been played, my child."

"N-no! You are as evil as any youkai!" The woman coughed, her eyes rolling in her head with horror as she struggled to pull away.

"Silence, ungrateful bitch!" She hissed, and the flat of her palm slapped hard against the woman's cheek.

A final gurgling breath escaped her, and the priestess fell still. Her eyes stared blank and unseeing at the ceiling, forever frozen in the terror of her last moments. Her hand fell to the floor with a hollow thud.

The red eyes tightened in glee. "Your image will serve a greater purpose, miko-sama." She cooed, and gently caressed her cooling cheek.

With a dainty finger, she dipped a long fingernail into the red-black pool of blood on the floor, and then raised it to her smiling lips.

* * *

It was a surprisingly early morning for Kagome, which was strange, to say the least. Maybe Kaede's disturbingly chipper mornings were finally having an effect on her. Either way, she ended up packing her things and having the time to take a nice, relaxing soak before Shippou woke. And then there was the matter of getting Shippou to bathe. Kagome shuddered, and missed the days when her little kitsune actually enjoyed baths. Now, it seemed that he did everything he could to amass a fine layer of grime on his skin throughout the day—and then proclaimed said filth was a natural thing.

He was getting to be too smart for his own good, Kagome realized with a roll of her eyes.

After Shippou's bath, she'd stumbled upon Rin in the hallway, and they had commenced an epic game of hide-and-seek. Kagome grinned, remembering that they'd had to confine their radius to the single hallway, reasoning that both she and Shippou would get lost among the winding corridors.

Then there was finding Sesshoumaru holding Rin, crouched on a heavy beam in the rafters like a leopard ready to pounce, and acting like absolutely _nothing_ was strange about it. He had a strange sense of humor, if anything. Kagome snorted mentally. There had been a playful gleam to his eyes, and she couldn't help but remember the previous night, and how his hands had coaxed her heart into hammering.

When his hand had risen to brush the hair from her face, though, her heart practically stopped. It was a heart-wrenching, soft gesture, and Kagome tucked the moment away for safe-keeping. _If he was gentle like that all the time, I would be a puddle at his feet now. Then again… The silence kind of makes him who he is, and even though it drives me up a wall, I wouldn't change it. _It was Sesshoumaru's almost-shy response to his own behavior that killed her. He hadn't been able to meet her eyes, instead focusing anywhere but her.

Fighting a giggle, she'd teased him, and near choked when he'd teased back. _Guess I should have been expecting that. He's less guarded when no one's around. _

When they'd spoken about her debt to him, she was surprised when he had refused, and offered compromise instead. She sensed that it was his way of not actually allowing her to pay her debt to him, but in a subtle, Sesshoumaru-like way. Go figure.

_Maybe I'll find another way of paying him back, then, since he's obviously going to be complex and not make this easy at all. _She thought, an edge of sarcasm riding her words. Still, she'd do what she could.

Walking among the corridors, his hand guiding her, Kagome realized that she would miss him more than she realized. She'd grown accustomed to his silences, and his dry, biting humor. And there were the quieter moments, ones that were so loud in her head that she could hear her own heart beating. She found herself hoping that he would come to visit her.

The sun glared brightly in her eyes as they exited the West's halls. A heavy lead weight of dread settled in her stomach. What if he never came to visit her? What if she died before he even thought about her again? What if—, "Sesshoumaru?"

"Kagome." His response was quick, and his hand eased from her back as they walked. Cold air made her shiver.

"Will you visit?" She turned to face him, staring directly into his curious eyes. It frightened her, that she might never see him again, for a reason unknown to her.

He seemed almost befuddled by her question, and the silence rang in her ears. His eyes inspected her keenly. "I will."

"You promise?" She had no idea what prompted her to be so forward with him, but she'd never been one to skirt around an issue.

"I promise you, Kagome." His voice was low and quiet, and the blaring solemnity in his voice calmed her fears, but made her heart beat faster.

Her arms flung around him, holding him close and burying her nose in his haori. "Good." She murmured into his chest. And like the last time she'd hugged him, his hands carefully held her to him, the heat from his hands melting away the cold that had settled in her bones. She felt a hand sink into her hair, and felt the miniscule sigh that escaped him. His other hand curved around her waist, and a little shock went through her veins when one of his fingers accidentally slid across the bare skin of her hip, her shirt having ridden up slightly. It seemed to pass through him, too, because she felt him freeze momentarily against her.

The memory of being tucked away in his arms flooded her, and the sensation of his bare skin sliding on hers, even from a dream, caused her to shiver again.

He drew away from her with nary a word, and led them further out, and into the stables. "Your colt is returning to health." He said softly, and the rough edge to his voice made her heart jump. He led them down to the third stall.

The little foal whinnied in a high pitch when he spotted her, and stuck his head over the stable door to nose her. "Aww! Aren't you adorable!" She crooned, smoothing the black fur of his muzzle.

Sesshoumaru stayed still, an amused glint in his eyes. "He has shunned all others."

Kagome shot him a glance as she rubbed the horse's nose. "Maybe he just has good taste." She countered, a smile playing on her lips. He really was cute. His leg was still bandaged, but he was standing on it, so Kagome assumed that he was getting better.

"Or perhaps he was wounded in the head." Her jaw dropped, and she glared at him. His eyes were a bright, warm gold.

"You, my friend, are a jerk." She said with a derisive sniff, and then laughed lightly. "Maybe he knows that I found him?" She returned to petting the horse, and grinned when he lipped her hair.

"It is likely." Came his cool response.

"Can I name him?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. It seemed this woman drew in strays wherever she went. "He is your charge."

"Really?"

"Yes." He sighed.

"Thank you!" She turned to the horse again, and tousled the soft hair of his mane. "Your name will be…" She hummed and tapped the colt's black head. "Daichi!"

The newly-named horse tossed his head and whinnied, and she kissed his nose.

"Come." Sesshoumaru motioned to the snow dusted fields of his grounds.

She plodded along behind him as they made their way back to the castle. A low roar echoed faintly across the field, making Kagome jump. "What was that?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "It seems that Kenshin is trying to saddle Ah-Un." The beast was rather fickle about getting saddled, and rather liked to gallop around before being made to wear it.

"I hope he's not like that all the time?" Kagome winced when he roared again, and added, "'Cause I really don't think I could catch a flying dragon. Or a dragon period."

"Hnn."

"Seriously, Sesshoumaru, I can't chase down a dragon. So if he flies away, it's not going to be my fault." She declared, mimicking haughtiness.

He snorted. He knew full well that she wouldn't be able to catch Ah-Un if he decided to leave; but the dragon would never disobey his orders.

The dim light of the hallways caused their shadows to grow longer as Sesshoumaru led them to a large courtyard, where Rin and Shippou were giggling hysterically at Kenshin. The dark-haired inuyoukai was grumbling at Ah-Un, who was dodging him with practiced evasiveness as he tried to saddle the beast.

"Ah-Un, please cease your infantile behavior!" Kenshin growled out.

Kagome laughed, and the dragon trotted around to hide behind her, Ah's head peeking from her shoulder while Un huddled behind her hip.

"Perhaps you should look in a mirror." Sesshoumaru said flatly.

Snorting, Kagome coaxed Ah-Un forward, murmuring to him in soft tones. "Come on, Ah-Un, if you're nice, I'll get you a treat." The dragon perked their heads and immediately trotted toward Kenshin, their tail waving almost as a cat's. Kagome raised a brow, surprised that her plan had worked so easily for once. "Uh. So what kind of treats do dragons like?"

"Rabbits. At least four." She whirled and found him _almost _smirking.

_Of course it's never that easy. _"You're serious, aren't you?" She fretted, giving the now-compliant dragon a wary glance. "Sesshoumaru?"

He didn't answer.

* * *

Twenty-six and a half minutes later found Kagome re-tying a lace to her boots and fending off a frighteningly hyper Shippou. "Are we really going to fly, mama? How fast does he go? When will we get back? Why does Sesshoumaru-sama even have a dragon? Why does the dragon have two heads?"

Without even missing a beat, Kagome answered promptly, "Yes, I don't know, sometime tomorrow, I have no idea, and just because he can."

Shippou fell silent for a moment.

Sesshoumaru stood a ways off, silently observing them as he guided Ah-Un forward. Rin sat on their back, peppering him with similar questions. "Why does Kagome-sama have to go? When will she visit again? Can we go visit her? Oh, please, _please _Sesshoumaru-sama, I want to go visit her!"

"Rin." He murmured, and the little girl cut off the next question hanging on her lips. She beamed at him, and crossed her fingers in her lap.

_How very odd that I share such a common ground with her. _He mused.

High in the sky, the sun glared weakly upon them through thin clouds that promised little warmth. Ah-Un would keep them warm, if nothing else. Rin often used the dragon for heat when they traveled.

"Sesshoumaru! Does Ah-Un know where he's going?" Kagome half-yelled at him from the distance, forgetting that even if she whispered under her breath, he would be able to hear her clearly.

He waited until he had reached the mother and son, and then answered an affirmative. Ah-Un snorted and tossed their heads, eager to be off. Good. It would make their trip all the shorter and she would be within range of safety. _**Lying is dishonorable. Yet you seem to be accomplishing it much more frequently. That village is more likely to draw attention than to keep her safe. **_His beast all but snarled in his ear, making his blood run ice cold for half a heartbeat. Beast though he was, he spoke the truth, and that alone caused an unpleasant shudder to spread in his shoulder blades.

Rin hopped from Ah-Un's back and attached herself to Kagome's legs. "Kagome-sama! Promise you'll visit!"

Caught with a pack in her arms, she almost tripped onto the dragon. "Jeez, Rin! Don't worry so much, Sesshoumaru already said he'd come visit."

"Oh. Really?" Rin's large eyes stared up at her. Why did little kids like her have to be so darned cute?

"Yes, Rin." She smiled down at the girl after having secured her pack to Ah-Un, and then ruffled her hair.

With her pack secured, all that was left to do was get on. This seemed a little harder than she'd originally thought. Shippou was already perched upon the saddle, looking expectantly at her. "Come on, mama!"

Somehow the saddle seemed higher. "I'm getting there…" She trailed off, frowning.

Seemingly exasperated, Sesshoumaru sighed, and suddenly his hands were on her waist, effortlessly lifting her onto Ah-Un's back. Biting back a squeak, Kagome let him set her down, missing the warmth of his hands almost as soon as they left her. He'd promised he would visit. _I hope he actually will. If not I'll just pester him here! _Cheerfully grinning, she put her fears aside and glanced to the side, surprised to see Sesshoumaru staring straight at her, his eyes unreadable and hard.

_Did I do something? _His fingers reached toward her and soon they were in her hair, at the base of her neck. The tips of his claws pricked her skin gently, but there was something so enthralling about the sensation that Kagome's eyes slid shut. His thumb rubbed back and forth slowly, making her shiver.

His nostrils flared, unaccustomed to the flare of desire that pulsed from her. Her cheeks were flushed, and the black of her lashes fluttered like a bird's wing. Letting his fingers trail along the ridge of her collarbone, he almost didn't stop them from going further downwards.

Her eyes blinked open, warm and almost shy; the latter something Sesshoumaru rarely saw form her. "Be safe."

Kagome nodded, and Sesshoumaru gave Ah-Un's rump a tap. They launched up into the air with a low roar, snorting smoke from their nostrils.

His scent clung to her, now. And that alone would keep many would-be predators away. Not that he hadn't enjoyed the gesture involved, but that was entirely _not_ the point. A bell rang in the distance, the low metallic gonging vibrating deep in his bones. He frowned, and guided Rin inside the West's corridors.

* * *

"Kiyoshi-sama! One of the priestesses is dead!" A young woman flung the shoji screen aside, her eyes wide with fear. She quickly whirled and took off, stumbling slightly.

Kiyoshi slowly stood, her grey-streaked-black hair swishing with her graceful movement. With a small cloth, she cleaned the blade of the dagger hidden in her sleeve, relishing in the slick feel of blood. She returned it to its clandestine place among her robes, and then strode quickly out of the room. Her eyes glinted red in the dreary light of the hall.

In the center of a meticulously cleaned complex surrounded by similarly kept buildings lay a vaguely woman-shaped body. The white of her hakama were stained a rusted burgundy, and her innards had been laid bare to the elements. Blood was spattered across the ground in macabre arcs, coinciding with the curved gashes lining her chest and legs. Also across her arms were various bite marks, fangs savagely torn from the flesh. Contrary to the bestial nature of her wounds, her neck had been neatly sliced. Her hair had been jaggedly cut off at the white tie, and the length of brown-black hair lay a few feet from her body. She had been a pitiful girl, barely any spiritual gifts to speak of, and meeker than a dormouse. It was an easy thing to kill her, and it would serve her purposes well.

Kiyoshi inspected the body carefully, eyeing her own handiwork with silent satisfaction. _Perfectly done. _"A demon has infiltrated the sanctity of our temple."

Soft sobbing could be heard around the complex, and Kiyoshi could hear a woman vomiting not far away. "How was it not sensed?" A middle aged woman asked with thinly veiled rage.

Murmurs of confusion and despair fluttered between the priestesses. "Demons are capable of a great many vile things that even we have not discovered yet." She said gently, pleased that some of the women were already seeking vengeance.

"It is not possible! At the least, you would have sensed it, Kiyoshi-sama. The barriers would have kept it at bay." The woman declared, and she fought a snarl.

"If I had sensed it, we would not be mourning the death of one of our own." The words were hard-edged steel, and caught the attention of many within the complex. She could feel the apprehensive eyes of the women on her, waiting for any sort of guidance. She paused a moment before saying, "This death," She gestured to the mutilated body, "is a reminder of just how deplorable and vicious all youkai are. That it was able to sneak past our defenses without our knowledge is _unacceptable_." Several women lowered their eyes. "But it is my responsibility, not yours, to assure such things. I have failed you as a high priestess."

Silence rang loud in the plaza. "Once, as priestesses, we would have decimated any threat to our sacred temple. But we have grown decadent—the passing years of peace have made us weak. Once, we would have sought out the threat and eliminated it." Her voice grew louder, and the priestesses lifted puffy reddened eyes to their leader. "Many a century ago, priestesses were feared by youkai; we, the divine protectors of the holy light. I ask you this: what have we become?"

"Shy women that hide behind the shadow of their pasts, using only healing tonics and salves against demon attacks?" Some looked ashamed. "No. We are_ miko_. Youkai should fear us, not the opposite. With this death, we must move forward—we must return to our former glory. We will_ fight_. We will not fade into history as the pitiful women we have come so close to being, and we will rid this world of youkai, as it should be." Kiyoshi felt the effects from her words upon the priestesses—their eyes hardened with determination and fierce hunger.

_Yes, __**perfectly**__ done. Thank you again for your sacrifice, miko-sama._

* * *

Flying was surprisingly terrifying for the first five minutes, at least until Shippou told her to stop acting like a baby. She'd huffed at him for that, and promptly gotten over her fear of heights. For the most part.

Ah-Un flew very calmly, despite the speed that they were traveling was faster than she'd ever be able to move. She'd acquired a new respect for Ah-Un then, and consistently scratched their scales. The hours passed by quickly for the most part, but as the sun started to drop, Ah-Un slowed steadily until they eventually landed, just as the sun touched the horizon. "Thank you, Ah-Un. I'll make sure I get you some rabbits when we get to Edo." She said, and gave them both a good scratch underneath their chins.

Shippou had fallen asleep hours before, and it was left to her to make a small meal while the dragon grazed nearby. She wondered if Souta would show this time around. She hoped so—without Inuyasha around, it would be hard to even see if he'd been there. And, she'd have to balance her time between training with Sango extra-hard and learning more and more from Kaede. Even if she couldn't accomplish some of the higher power-level abilities, Kaede was very knowledgeable about most aspects of energy manipulation concerning miko powers. Plus, she really wanted to learn more about youkai, seeing as she apparently knew much less about them than she thought.

Ah-Un lay next to the fire in the cold night air, their belly facing the flames. Shippou was curled in a blanket, only his shock of red hair visible. Smiling to herself, she swathed them both in her reiki. Ah-Un grunted and his tail twitched.

It wasn't long before Kagome curled up next to Ah-Un, quickly falling asleep even as Ah-Un's heads came around to rest upon her lap.

_His baritone voice shuddered and rippled in her dreams, rising and falling in speech that she couldn't understand. Another responded, and again she couldn't make out the words, if there were any. Even without comprehending, she could hear the dangerous shift in his tone—dark, cold, and menacing. It sent a twist of discomfort into her gut. The other voice was lilting and high, teasing. It only seemed to enrage Sesshoumaru, for he growled like the daiyoukai he was; the sound made her stomach roll with nerves._

_ And then his face was in front of her, seemingly wild with panic; such an emotion on his face was so extremely unlike him that Kagome felt herself blink. He was moving past her, searching so quickly about the room that his movements blurred to her eyes. "Where is she?" His voice came out an animalistic snarl._

_ "Who?"He snapped around to face her, staring intently at her location. "Who, Sesshoumaru?"_

_ With a low roar, Sesshoumaru whirled back around again and ran a clawed hand through his hair in a hasty gesture. "I cannot see you. But I hear you." He murmured, moving about the room. "Rin is missing." He lifted a mattress with his right hand and tossed it against the wall._

_ The markings on his cheeks were jagged and longer, much like the markings that appeared on Inuyasha's face when he lost control. A distant memory, of Sesshoumaru's true form, passed through her mind. "Betrayal." He growled. His canines were elongated, fangs becoming more and more prominent with each passing moment. _

_ "We can find her, Sesshoumaru." She soothed, wishing she was physically there. _

_ "You do not know that." He paced about the room with predatory grace, his gait loping and drawn taught with tension._

_Yes, I do. We can." Kagome reached out toward him, and tried to touch his shoulder, but felt nothing. "Why can't I touch you?"_

_ Sesshoumaru looked at her form, his eyes piercing and heavier than lead. "You are dead, Kagome." He whispered, reaching a tentative hand for her. It passed directly through her chest, leaving a light fluttering sensation behind. He roared and shoved his hands through the walls, leaving gaping holes in their wake. "It is my fault." His claws dug into his palms, drawing deep red blood._

_ "Sesshoumaru, I'm not dead." She said, but felt his words falling like iron weights in her stomach._

_ Groaning, his eyes bled red. "I watched the light fade from your eyes, Kagome!" He launched a dresser into the wall with a rough cry and dragged his hands over the same wall, leaving bloodied paths and claw marks behind. A keening howl escaped his throat, and he bowed his head. "And now, Rin." _

Kagome shot forward with a scream, frightening Ah-Un in the process. Smoke streamed from his nostrils as Ah glanced warily around while Un nosed Kagome. She clenched the smoothed wood of her bow tightly in her fist.

She was sweating profusely, and her heart refused to calm down, thundering loudly in her ears. Placing a hand in front of her eyes, she touched her own hand and flexed it, then touched the scales of Un's neck. "Just a dream…" She whispered.

Tilting her head back, she blew the breath out of her lungs loudly. "Not real, Sesshoumaru is fine, and so is Rin."

"Everything is fine." She soothed herself. But her nerves still jangled and clanged about, making it impossible to return to sleep even though the sun was barely peeking above the horizon. "Are you okay to fly, Ah-Un?"

The bloodied paths of Sesshoumaru's hands down the walls caused a shudder to clamor down her spine.

In answer, the dragon rose to his feet with a low grunt. Shippou murmured in his sleep, but she gathered him into her arms and leapt atop Ah-Un with no small amount of difficulty. Ah snorted a short column of flame, then turned and nudged her further upon the saddle. "Thanks." She muttered. _And now, the two-headed dragon has to help me get on his back. Jeez, I really need to gain a sense of balance. _

Hours passed in silence while Shippou slept soundly in her arms. A memory rushed to her, unbidden. Souta was running circles around the Goshinboku, holding Buyo by his forelegs and laughing like a little kid should. She remembered that she'd been chasing him, but she couldn't recall why. All she knew was that it was a_ good_ memory, and even though Buyo seemed severely unimpressed with the situation, Souta was there and alive and well. His short black hair caught the bright sun and made her miss the long, hot days of summer, even though it was months away. And it made her miss Souta. Despite being a serious pain in the neck half of the time, he was her little brother, and somehow he always knew what to say.

Smiling softly, she remembered the rare days that she would come home crying. Grime, gore, and death were not things a fifteen year old girl wore well. Souta would leave her be for most of the day, but when night came, he would peek in her room before asking her if she'd be okay. Sniffling, she'd tell him yes, and he would give her one of those begrudging one-armed hugs before nearly tripping out of the room in his haste.

_When I see Sesshoumaru next, I'll ask him to smell the paper for me. Maybe he can tell me who's touched it, and that could get me just a little bit closer to where he disappeared off to. _The rough stone pendant hung heavy on her throat, and for a moment she wondered if staying in the Feudal Era was the right decision. _No. I think, in some strange way, this place has always been where I should be. I never felt like I fit well in the present time, even though I was born there. That feeling only got worse when I started time-traveling here; learning that all of those stories Gramps told were true all along was strange to say the least. Youkai, Gramps? Could have at least mentioned that they would try to eat me every—never mind, I'm pretty sure he mentioned that once or twice, and I was just being… not aware. _

_Besides, I had a job to do here, and I have the feeling I'm going to need to do something else soon. There's a stillness around everything that makes me uneasy. It almost reminds me of Naraku… But not, at the same time. Especially with Kikyo and Inuyasha gone—I'm sure it has something to do with the red-eyed woman in my vision. I only wish that I could have warned them… I should have said something the moment I saw it. I hope Kikyo knows how to hide herself from Inuyasha's nose. And I hope Inuyasha can't find her. Idiot should have listened to me, but __**nooo**__, he had to go and have his man period all over my parade. Oh. Gross. Anyway…_

_And what about those visions with Sesshoumaru? And the dreams? Come on, how much more cliché can you get? Doesn't make him any less attractive, but still… Not the point, Kagome. Even if it was slightly cliché, it still happened, and there was definitely something more to those moments we've shared. At least, I thought there was. _A sharp pang of uneasiness hit her in the gut. _Was I just imagining? _

For some reason, a part of her desperately hoped not. Something almost alien drew her to him, and while she wasn't sure just what it was, the thought of letting it go frightened her.

Hours passed, and the sun passed the midway mark in the sky, beginning its descent into night. The view from Ah-Un's back really was awe-inspiring—it reminded her of the night before atop the cliff, except without the added mysterious glow of nighttime. During the day the trees looked gnarled, old, and downright creepy in some places. And somehow, it didn't feel the same without the heat of Sesshoumaru's hand easing around her waist to ward off the bitter cold.

Shippou had woken earlier, but spoke little. He was far too preoccupied with pretending to squish trees between his tiny fingers. "Got another one, Mama!"

"How many is that Shippou? Twenty?" She asked, a grin playing with her lips.

"No! Twenty-eight!" He exclaimed proudly.

"Of course, of course!" She called back, laughing.

* * *

Youki; she could sense it even from this distance, and knew it was inside the village. And it wasn't Sesshoumaru, or Inuyasha. Kouga didn't have an aura like that, either. What was it doing near Kaede? "Ah-Un, quickly! We need to get to the village as fast as you can!"

Her heart jumped into her throat, and she started to focus her energy, but not to the point where it manifested, lest she injure either Shippou or Ah-Un. "Shippou, do you smell anything in the area?"

The little kitsune perked up, his closing in concentration. "Not really, all I smell is birds. Maybe it's a bird youkai?"

Kagome frowned. The only bird youkai she'd encountered were the birds of paradise youkai, and they weren't pleasant in the least. Ah-Un sped past trees and snow-covered ground, swooping low as they reached the cluster of huts on the village edge. Leaping off the saddle, she sprinted forward to the source of the youki, inside Kaede's hut. Her fingers were white with power.

A demon with golden-brown hair and orange eyes met her glowing fingertips. "Sango, who is he?" She all but growled.

"He's not here to hurt us. He has a letter for you, actually." Sango's clear voice calmed her.

Feeling ashamed, Kagome lowered her hand and shook her head. "I'm sorry about that; I had no idea who you were." Smiling at him, she noticed that he had a very striking face. Thin and sharp, the angles stood out and made his eyes all the more striking. "My name is Kagome, and this is Shippou."

Her little kitsune was ecstatic. "Jeez, mama, you really scared him!" It looked to be true—the man hadn't blinked since she'd entered.

"I am Osamu." He took a scroll out from in his haori, and handed it to her carefully.

Intrigue boiled in her. "The letter I bring, I am told, is from a woman named Kikyo. I shall explain more once you have read it." His voice was a bit higher than she would have expected, but it still held a strange, hollow quality that managed to raise the hairs on her neck.

The white tie that held the scroll together was indeed Kikyo's. "Kikyo?" She touched it gently before sliding it off, feeling something tug at her instincts. The moment was heavy, and Kagome took a deep breath before letting herself read the quickly-scrawled letter, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

_Kagome,_

_Please forgive me, but under the circumstances, I cannot explain why this demon is facing you right now, only that he needs to be hidden, at all costs. If he were to be found, I fear not only his death, but the death of the demon race. I know it may be hard to believe me on such a matter, considering my unacceptable behavior toward you before this. Over time, other demons will come to you for shelter, but only if you accept my proposal. I implore you._

_-Kikyo._

The breath she'd taken left her in a whoosh. She re-read the letter, and then glanced quickly at the demon standing not five feet from her. Her mouth became a hard line. The death of the demon race? Her brain recoiled from the thought. Without youkai, the world would lose balance. She would have never met Inuyasha, or Sesshoumaru, or any of her friends in the Feudal Era. She wondered just how much things would change if they hadn't existed.

_Is this what happens in the future? _She thought, terrified of the answer. As far as she knew, she'd never sensed a youkai in her time, so either they'd found a way to hide their youki completely, or they had ceased to exist years prior. Shippou leaned forward from her shoulder, trying to make out the words on the paper. _Without youkai, I would never have found Shippou. Sesshoumaru would not exist. _

Kaede's eye stared keenly at her, sharp with intelligence and curiosity. "What does it say, child?"

Kagome fought the shudder that threatened to pulse through her. _Whoever is after this demon wants them all dead. I have to find a way to stop it. _"If we don't hide Osamu—and others—from some unknown threat, it will wipe them all out forever."

Miroku frowned, and Sango burst forth, "What? If that happens, we'll surely throw the world out of balance. Demon exterminator or no, I won't stand by and let the world fall to pieces."

Osamu's eyes flicked back and forth, seemingly absorbing the conversation. "Am I to be hidden, then?"

"Aye, but what place could keep youki a secret?" Kaede grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Perhaps underground?" Miroku suggested. "I know that it is much harder to sense an aura when separated by so much earth."

"I don't know of many tunnels that can house more than a few demons." Kagome voiced, a sense of dread welling in her chest.

"It might not provide the right amount of protection we need." Sango said as she moved about the room, looking for something. Kagome almost smiled; she knew that she could rely on these people no matter what, and it gave her strength. She tugged on her hair thoughtfully.

"Kagome, ye have the power to erect a barrier yourself."

"Would it be enough, though?" Kagome fretted. Sango pulled her armor out from a low drawer, and slung it over her shoulder after tying her hair in a high ponytail. Kirara mewed.

The silence drew on for a moment as they thought. Sango bit her cheek. Miroku sighed. Kagome tugged her hair again, and bit her lip. Osamu gave a pointed stare to Kaede, who glared at him so forcefully that he turned away. She huffed.

"I have an idea." Miroku stood with one arm crossed over his chest, and another tapping the side of his forehead.

Osamu's eyes flitted back and forth unnervingly quickly between the four of them, but stayed silent.

"What is it?" She had re-rolled the scroll and tucked it into her pocket.

"Kaede, you've said that Kagome had the power to surpass Midoriko's power, right?"

"Midoriko, the great priestess who created the Jewel of Four Souls?" Osamu clarified, a claw tapping quickly on the aged wood of the hut.

"Aye." Kaede grunted in affirmative. Kagome had yet to catch on to Miroku's train of thought, but the glint in Kaede's eye spoke volumes.

"What about the Cave?"

End of Chapter Fifteen – Turning Pages Pt. 2

A/N—There you are! Much faster than I anticipated! Thank you all so much for sticking with me through this, and I promise to be nicer about updating! Please review! (: Thank you again!


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